Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
Department of Dermatology, Medical Services Administration, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022 Aug;21(8):3515-3521. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14612. Epub 2021 Nov 15.
Vitiligo is an acquired cutaneous depigmenting disease caused by a T helper (Th) 1-cytotoxic T cells driven autoimmune attack against melanocytes, in which Th17 is also involved. Interleukin (IL)-38 belongs to the IL-1 family of cytokines and suppresses Th1 and Th17 activation. IL-38 protein and mRNA levels have been found to be elevated in various autoimmune disorders and correlated with disease severity and activity, including psoriasis, systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and atopic dermatitis. No previous studies have been performed to investigate the expression of IL-38 in patients with vitiligo.
To evaluate IL-38 serum level in patients with vitiligo compared to healthy controls (Hcs) and examine the association between IL-38 level and severity and activity of vitiligo.
The study comprised 21 patients with vitiligo and 21 Hcs. Vitiligo severity and activity were evaluated via Vitiligo Extent Score (VES) and Vitiligo Disease Activity (VIDA) Score, respectively. IL-38 serum level was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Vitiligo patients had significantly higher serum level of IL-38 than Hcs (p < 0.001). This level was significantly higher among patients with signs of vitiligo activity (p = 0.048), correlated positively with VES (p < 0.001), and correlated negatively with the age of patients (p = 0.001) and the age of disease onset (p = 0.022).
IL-38 serum level was higher in patients with vitiligo than in Hcs and was related to vitiligo severity and signs of activity.
白癜风是一种获得性皮肤色素脱失疾病，由 Th1 细胞毒性 T 细胞驱动的针对黑素细胞的自身免疫攻击引起，其中 Th17 也参与其中。白细胞介素（IL）-38 属于 IL-1 细胞因子家族，可抑制 Th1 和 Th17 的激活。已经发现 IL-38 蛋白和 mRNA 水平在各种自身免疫性疾病中升高，并与疾病的严重程度和活动度相关，包括银屑病、系统性硬化症、类风湿关节炎和特应性皮炎。以前没有研究调查过白癜风患者中 IL-38 的表达情况。
评估白癜风患者与健康对照组（HCs）相比的 IL-38 血清水平，并研究 IL-38 水平与白癜风的严重程度和活动度之间的关系。
本研究纳入了 21 例白癜风患者和 21 例 HCs。白癜风的严重程度和活动度分别通过白癜风严重程度评分（VES）和白癜风疾病活动度评分（VIDA）进行评估。通过酶联免疫吸附试验评估 IL-38 血清水平。
白癜风患者的血清 IL-38 水平明显高于 HCs（p<0.001）。活动期白癜风患者的 IL-38 水平明显更高（p=0.048），与 VES 呈正相关（p<0.001），与患者年龄（p=0.001）和疾病发病年龄（p=0.022）呈负相关。
白癜风患者的血清 IL-38 水平高于 HCs，与白癜风的严重程度和活动迹象有关。
