Increased level of cathelicidin (LL-37) in vitiligo: Possible pathway independent from vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism.
Atazadeh. Fatemeh F; Fazeli. Zahra Z; Vahidnezhad. Hassan H; Namazi. Nastaran N; Younespour. Shima S; Youssefian. Leila L; Abdollahimajd. Fahimeh F; Uitto. Jouni J
Key Findings
- Vitiligo patients showed significantly higher plasma LLâ37 levels than healthy controls.
- Vitamin D (25âOH) levels were significantly lower in vitiligo patients.
- No major differences in most VDR gene polymorphisms, but a borderline increased risk with the FokI variant (ORâŻââŻ1.8, pâŻ=âŻ0.051).
Practical Outcomes
- For most biohackers, this study offers little direct action: it highlights a potential immune marker (LLâ37) in a specific skin disease, not a target for general health or performance. Thereâs no evidence that supplementing or inhibiting LLâ37 will help longevity or metabolic goals, and the vitamin D findings reinforce known benefits of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels.
Summary
People with vitiligo, a skin condition where pigment cells die, have higher levels of the immune peptide LLâ37 in their blood, while their vitamin D levels are lower. The study didnât find strong links between most vitaminâDâreceptor gene variants and vitiligo, except a possible modest risk with one variant (FokI). Overall, the work suggests LLâ37 might play a role in vitiligo, but it doesnât tell us how to use or change it.
Abstract
Vitiligo is a multifactorial skin disease with established role of genetics and autoimmunity in its pathogenesis. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms have been suggested to correlate with risk of vitiligo in some ethnic populations. On the other hand, cathelicidin, one of the innate immune system components, has a role in development of some chronic skin diseases and VDR regulates the expression of cathelicidin. We aimed to determine the plasma level of cathelicidin and its association with the VDR gene polymorphisms as well as plasma vitamin D level in patients with vitiligo. Ninety vitiligo patients and 90 non-vitiligo controls participated in this study. Blood levels of 25(OH) vitamin D and cathelicidin were determined with ELISA. Genotyping for VDR polymorphisms (ApaI, TaqI, FokI and BsmI) was done with RFLP-PCR method. Mean blood level of cathelicidin was significantly higher in vitiligo patients as compared to controls (P < .0001). Mean blood level of vitamin D was significantly lower in patients than controls (P = .01). Statistically significant differences were not observed for both genotype and allele frequencies of BsmI, ApaI and TaqI polymorphisms. There was a borderline increased risk of vitiligo in over-dominant model of FokI polymorphism with OR = 1.8 and P = .051. Our findings was suggestive of the potential role of cathelicidin in the pathogenesis of vitiligo; however, future evaluations are needed to determine its precise mechanism. Genetic study of VDR gene polymorphism was suggestive of increased risk of vitiligo in association with a FokI polymorphism in Iranian population.
Study Information
pubmed
2020
2020-11-18T00:00:00.000Z
10.1111/exd.14200
9
49