الفهرس 
Interleukin-4Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 162 |  |  |
| | | from | 162 | | |
Abstract
Vitiligo is a progressive depigmenting disorder characterized by the loss of functional melanocytes from the epidermis affecting 0.5–2% of the population worldwide. Vitiligo can be psychologically devastating for the affected patients.
Interleukin-17, 4 and 6 are proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines which are found in abundance in the sera and affected tissues of various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Zinc is an important antioxidant agent which deficiency can participate to vitiligo pathogenesis via its antioxidant function and its important role in the process of melanogenesis. Vitamin D is an essential hormone that is synthesized in the skin. Defective calcium transport in keratinocytes and melanocytes was reported in skin of vitiligo patients. Decreased intracellular calcium leads to inhibition of tyrosinase activity and results in the inhibition of melanin synthesis.
The aims of this study were to evaluate the serum levels of IL-17, IL-4, IL-6, Zinc and Vitamin D in vitiligo patients, assess the relation between these serum levels and clinical aspects of the disease and investigate the correlation between these studied markers.
This study included 50 vitiligo patients, and 30 apparently healthy volunteers who served as controls. The patients were selected from outpatient clinic of Dermatology and Andrology Department of Benha University hospital. Patients were subjected to history taking and vitiligo assessment using VETI score. Serum levels of IL-17, IL-4, IL-6, Zinc and Vitamin D were measured in all participants using ELISA technique.
83
Summary and Conclusion
The study revealed the following results:
• Serum levels of interleukins-17, 4 and 6 were significantly higher in patients than in the controls.
• Serum levels of zinc and vitamin D were significantly lower in patients than in the controls.
• Serum levels of zinc showed significant negative correlation with serum interlekins-17, 4 and 6.
• Serum levels of interleukin-6 showed significant positive correlation with serum interleukins-4 and 17.
• There was significant positive correlation between serum interleukin-4 and serum interleukin-17 levels.
• There was a significant negative correlation between vitamin D serum levels and patient’s age, disease duration and VETI score.
•The mean vitamin D levels were significantly higher in males than in females.
• Patients with autoimmune diseases showed a significant decrease in the mean level of vitamin D compared to patients without autoimmune diseases.
• Among the studied markers, vitamin D was the most sensitive marker, while interleukin-17 and interleukin-6 were the most specific markers.