Background: There is debate concerning the precise etiopathogenesis of vitiligo. According to certain theories, a series of inflammatory responses that mediate the loss of melanocytes are caused by both cellular and humoral immune responses. It has also been demonstrated that Interleukin 17 (IL-17) promotes melanocyte death and inhibits melanogenesis through different mechanisms. Serum Amyloid A (SAA) levels are over-expressed in autoimmune diseases. Th17 cytokines are regulated by serum amyloid A proteins.
Aims: To measure serum levels of IL-17 and SAA in vitiligo patients aiming to explain their possible role in disease pathogenesis and the other aim is to correlate their levels with disease activity and severity.
Methods: This study included 60 vitiligo patients and 40 healthy age and sex controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure serum levels of SAA and IL-17.
Results: This study revealed significant increase in levels of serum IL-17 and SAA in patients than controls (p < 0.05). Both markers showed significant positive correlations with VASI score and duration of vitiligo; only IL-17 showed statistically significant positive correlation with VIDA scores. Patients with vitiligo showed a statistically significant positive connection between serum IL-17 levels and SAA (γ = 0.992, p-value <0.05).
Conclusion: Increased serum level of IL-17 and SAA in vitiligo patients together with their positive relation to vitiligo severity and the duration of the disease show that these two markers play a key role in the vitiligo development.
Keywords: Interleukin-17; serum amyloid A; vitiligo.
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