Levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, IL-37 cytokines in patients with active vitiligo.

Objectives: Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease, and its pathogenesis involves changes in cytokine levels in the affected patients. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-17 from pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-37 in a recently detected anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of our study was to determine serum TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, IL-37 levels in patients with vitiligo to understand their possible roles in the disease etiology and to compare the results with the healthy controls.

Methods: The study included 48 generalized vitiligo patients who were diagnosed with vitiligo, had an increase in the lesions within the last 3 months, and did not receive any systemic or topical treatment during this period; furthermore, 18 healthy controls were included.

Results: Patient group:  = 48, mean age = 30.48 ± 9.86 years; control group:  = 18, mean age = 28.27 ± 9.66 years. Individuals in the patient group had significantly higher serum levels of IL-37( = 3.90, < .001), IL-6 ( = 3.39, < .05), IL-17 ( = 2.08, < .05), and TNF-α ( = 4.69 < .001) than in the control group.

Conclusion: The high levels of (pro-anti) inflammatory cytokines in vitiligo patients draw attention to the importance of cytokines in the pathogenesis of the disease.