Background: Vitiligo is a multifactorial acquired depigmenting skin disorder with poorly understood etiology. It is characterized by white macules and patches due to loss of functioning epidermal melanocytes. The most widely accepted hypothesis is the autoimmune-mediated melanocyte destruction through the interplay between cellular immunity, humoral immunity, and cytokine action. Peri-lesional vitiligo skin biopsies revealed CD8+ cytotoxic T (cT) cell infiltration proposing a cytotoxic attack against melanocytes. It has been hypothesized that IL-15 might play a role in this autoimmune disease; thus, inhibiting IL-15 activity might be a breaking new therapeutic strategy in the treatment of vitiligo. Objective: The current study was conducted to assess the serum level of IL-15 in patients with non-segmental vitiligo, and to correlate its levels with disease duration, extent, and activity. Patients and methods: The present study was a case-control study conducted on three groups of subjects attending the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic in Mansoura University Hospitals: 30 patients suffering from active non-segmental vitiligo, 30 patients with stable non-segmental vitiligo, and 30 age-and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: Healthy controls and vitiligo cases demonstrated insignificant differences in terms of the demographic characteristics as well as the risk factors. IL-15 level demonstrated insignificant correlation with the gender, smoking, stress, and clinical type in both vitiligo groups. Higher IL-15 level was suggested to be independent risk predictor for vitiligo occurrence and severity but not activity. Conclusion: It could be concluded that, vitiligo cases were associated with a significant elevation in IL-15 level.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.