Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Dermatology and Venerology

Background:Vitiligo;the autoimmune cutaneous disease, is well-known as a multifactorial polygenic disorder with a complex pathogenesis and its precise etiology remains unknown which warrants more studies for the scrutiny of its exact pathogenesis. Human beta-defensin 1 (HBD-1) is one of the antimicrobial peptides, which is expressed in epithelial tissues that are directly exposed to the environment or microbial flora, and is thought to play a role together with its gene polymorphism in vitiligo pathogenesis. Objective:To assess the tissue level of HBD-1 in vitiligo patients in comparison to its level in healthy controls to verify its exact role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, and hence, opening the way for new therapeutic trials in vitiligo in the future, and to study the action of NBUVB on the tissue level of HBD-1 in vitiligo. Patients and methods: The study was conducted on 25 patients with non-segmental vitiligo and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals as a control group in the Dermatology outpatient clinic, Kasr Al Ainy, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University over a period of 12 months (March 2019-March 2020). NBUVB was taken three times weekly for 36 sessions. Skin biopsies were taken from patients (before and after phototherapy) and from healthy controls to assess the tissue expression of HBD-1 by ELISA. Results: A statistically significant difference was found between tissue levels of HBD-1 in vitiligo patients and controls (P<0.001) with lower levels of HBD-1 in vitiligo patients (either before or after treatment). Also, a statistically significant difference was detected upon comparing the levels of HBD-1 in vitiligo patients before and after treatment with higher levels after NBUVB (P<0.001). Moreover,a statistically significant difference was found between HBD-1 level and stress both before and after treatment with NBUVB (P=0.014 and P=0.011 respectively)

Issued also as CD