Departments of Dermatology, Venereology and Pathology, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
Arch Dermatol Res. 2012 Dec;304(10):823-30. doi: 10.1007/s00403-012-1269-6. Epub 2012 Jul 26.
There is a growing evidence that cytokines are important in the depigmentation process of vitiligo, however, the exact mechanism is not fully understood. The aim of this work was to study the possible role of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) cytokine in the depigmentation process of the disease. Twenty patients with generalized vitiligo were exposed to narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) therapy thrice weekly for a total of 60 sessions. Immunohistochemical examination was done, to assess the TNF-α expression in lesional and perilesional skin as compared to normal control skin, before and after therapy. At baseline, positive lesional TNF-α expression was detected in 60 % of patients which was significantly higher as compared to perilesional skin (20 %) and negative expression in healthy control skin. Post-treatment, a statistically significant increase in TNF-α expression was detected in both lesional (90 %) and perilesional skin (70 %) as compared to baseline (P < 0.05). The significant increase of TNF-α in vitiligo lesions compared with perilesional and healthy skin suggests a possible involvement of this cytokine in the depigmentation of vitiligo. The increase in TNF-α expression after NB-UVB phototherapy suggests another role in repigmentation.
越来越多的证据表明细胞因子在白癜风的脱色过程中很重要，然而，其确切机制尚未完全阐明。本研究旨在探讨肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）细胞因子在白癜风脱色过程中的可能作用。20 例泛发性白癜风患者每周接受 3 次窄谱中波紫外线（NB-UVB）治疗，共 60 次。在治疗前后，通过免疫组织化学检查，评估病变和病变周围皮肤与正常对照皮肤中 TNF-α的表达。在基线时，60%的患者皮损处 TNF-α表达阳性，明显高于病变周围皮肤（20%）和正常对照皮肤（阴性）。治疗后，皮损（90%）和病变周围皮肤（70%）的 TNF-α表达均明显高于基线（P<0.05）。与病变周围和正常皮肤相比，白癜风皮损中 TNF-α的显著增加提示该细胞因子可能参与了白癜风的脱色过程。NB-UVB 光疗后 TNF-α表达增加提示其在复色中具有另一种作用。
