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Increased expression of CXCR 3 and its ligands in patients with vitiligo and CXCL 10 as a potential clinical marker for vitiligo
Author(s) -
Wang X. X.,
Wang Q. Q.,
Wu J. Q.,
Jiang M.,
Chen L.,
Zhang C. F.,
Xiang L. H.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/bjd.14416
Subject(s) - vitiligo , cxcr3 , cxcl10 , cd8 , medicine , immunology , flow cytometry , chemokine , cxcl9 , depigmentation , pathology , dermatology , inflammation , immune system , chemokine receptor
Summary Background Vitiligo is a skin disorder characterized by loss of melanocytes from the epidermis. A recent study reported that CXCL 10 is critical for the progression and maintenance of depigmentation in a mouse model of vitiligo, but there is very limited clinical data regarding this issue and little is known about the dynamic changes or correlations with disease severity of these chemokines throughout the disease course. Objectives To present clinical data that supports and identifies the pathway of CXCR 3 and its ligands in T‐lymphocytic cell recruitment in vitiligo. Methods Cytometric bead array, flow cytometry, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistology were used to examine their systemic and local expression in 80 patients with vitiligo and 40 controls. Results We showed that serum CXCL 9 and CXCL 10 were significantly elevated in patients with vitiligo and were higher in patients in progressive stages than in stable stages. The relative expression of CXCR 3 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was higher in vitiligo. There were higher percentages of both circulating CXCR 3 + CD 4 + and CXCR 3 + CD 8 + T cells in patients with progressive vitiligo compared with controls, while only the expression of CXCR 3 + CD 8 + T cells increased in patients with stable vitiligo. Histological findings also demonstrated an abundance of CXCR 3 + cells within vitiligo lesions. Furthermore, serum CXCL 10 levels were associated with Vitiligo Area Scoring Index scores of patients with progressive vitiligo and were reduced after successful treatment. Conclusions The CXCL 10/ CXCR 3 axis mediates T‐cell recruitment into the skin in progressive vitiligo. Blocking this chemotactic mechanism may present a new form of therapy. Serum CXCL 10 may be a novel biomarker in monitoring disease activity and guiding treatment of progressive vitiligo.