Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actions

Background The exact cause of vitiligo remains unclear. Several theories have been proposed, including autoimmune and neuroendocrine theories. Prolactin has been studied as an immunomodulatory factor in several autoimmune diseases. Regarding vitiligo, previous studies revealed contradictory results....

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Main Authors: Ghada M El-Hanafy, Olfat G Shaker, Aya Ihab, Heba A Abdelkader
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
Series:Journal of the Egyptian Women’s Dermatologic Society
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jewd.eg.net//article.asp?issn=1687-1537;year=2021;volume=18;issue=1;spage=61;epage=66;aulast=El-Hanafy
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author Ghada M El-Hanafy
Olfat G Shaker
Aya Ihab
Heba A Abdelkader
author_facet Ghada M El-Hanafy
Olfat G Shaker
Aya Ihab
Heba A Abdelkader
author_sort Ghada M El-Hanafy
collection DOAJ
description Background The exact cause of vitiligo remains unclear. Several theories have been proposed, including autoimmune and neuroendocrine theories. Prolactin has been studied as an immunomodulatory factor in several autoimmune diseases. Regarding vitiligo, previous studies revealed contradictory results. This is the first study to assess tissue prolactin and prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression in vitiligo. Objective To measure the level of serum prolactin, tissue prolactin, as well as PRLR in patients with vitiligo vulgaris and controls to verify their possible role in vitiligo pathogenesis. Patients and methods A case–control study was conducted on 40 participants: 20 patients with vitiligo and 20 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. Blood samples were taken to determine the serum prolactin level (ng/ml). Skin biopsies were obtained from the lesional skin of patients and normal skin of controls to determine the level of tissue prolactin (ng/mg) and PRLR (ng/g) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum and tissue prolactin and PRLR levels were significantly higher in patients than in controls (P<0.001). Tissue prolactin level had a positive correlation with PRLR level (r=0.739, P<0.001). Conclusion Prolactin plays a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, mainly from an intracutaneous position where an autocrine/paracrine loop could have a larger share.
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spelling doaj.art-f24b488a9d95480dabfe76607a2260052022-12-21T18:33:16ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of the Egyptian Women’s Dermatologic Society2090-25652021-01-01181616610.4103/jewd.jewd_56_20Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actionsGhada M El-HanafyOlfat G ShakerAya IhabHeba A AbdelkaderBackground The exact cause of vitiligo remains unclear. Several theories have been proposed, including autoimmune and neuroendocrine theories. Prolactin has been studied as an immunomodulatory factor in several autoimmune diseases. Regarding vitiligo, previous studies revealed contradictory results. This is the first study to assess tissue prolactin and prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression in vitiligo. Objective To measure the level of serum prolactin, tissue prolactin, as well as PRLR in patients with vitiligo vulgaris and controls to verify their possible role in vitiligo pathogenesis. Patients and methods A case–control study was conducted on 40 participants: 20 patients with vitiligo and 20 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. Blood samples were taken to determine the serum prolactin level (ng/ml). Skin biopsies were obtained from the lesional skin of patients and normal skin of controls to determine the level of tissue prolactin (ng/mg) and PRLR (ng/g) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum and tissue prolactin and PRLR levels were significantly higher in patients than in controls (P<0.001). Tissue prolactin level had a positive correlation with PRLR level (r=0.739, P<0.001). Conclusion Prolactin plays a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, mainly from an intracutaneous position where an autocrine/paracrine loop could have a larger share.http://www.jewd.eg.net//article.asp?issn=1687-1537;year=2021;volume=18;issue=1;spage=61;epage=66;aulast=El-Hanafyautocrineparacrinepathogenesisprolactinreceptorvitiligo
spellingShingle Ghada M El-Hanafy
Olfat G Shaker
Aya Ihab
Heba A Abdelkader
Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actions
Journal of the Egyptian Women’s Dermatologic Society
autocrine
paracrine
pathogenesis
prolactin
receptor
vitiligo
title Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actions
title_full Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actions
title_fullStr Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actions
title_full_unstemmed Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actions
title_short Prolactin and vitiligo: proposed autocrine/paracrine actions
title_sort prolactin and vitiligo proposed autocrine paracrine actions
topic autocrine
paracrine
pathogenesis
prolactin
receptor
vitiligo
url http://www.jewd.eg.net//article.asp?issn=1687-1537;year=2021;volume=18;issue=1;spage=61;epage=66;aulast=El-Hanafy
work_keys_str_mv AT ghadamelhanafy prolactinandvitiligoproposedautocrineparacrineactions
AT olfatgshaker prolactinandvitiligoproposedautocrineparacrineactions
AT ayaihab prolactinandvitiligoproposedautocrineparacrineactions
AT hebaaabdelkader prolactinandvitiligoproposedautocrineparacrineactions