ABSTRACT
Recent studies indicated that interleukin-1 beta [IL-1beta] enhance the activity of nitric oxide [NO] synthase resulting in release of excess amounts of NO. The later has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. The objective of this study was to determine the correlations between levels of IL-1beta and NO in both tissues and sera from patients with generalized vitiligo. Our study included 30 patients with generalized vitiligo and 15 normal controls. Tissue and serum levels of IL-1 beta and NO were measured using enzyme immunoassay and a spectrophotometer, respectively. Tissue and serum levels of NO were significantly higher in patients with generalized vitiligo than controls [0.58 +/- 0.19 vs 0.41 +/- 0.17 and 58.05 +/- 12.19 vs 28.82 +/- 3.98; p <0.01 and p <0.001; respectively]. Tissue and serum levels of IL-1 beta in patients with generalized vitiligo were significantly higher than controls [4.86 +/- 1.94 vs 2.18 +/- 0.71 and 22.09 +/- 2.64 vs 15.34 +/- 3.55; p <0.001 and p<0.001; respectively]. A significant positive correlation was found between tissue levels of NO and IL-1 beta [r = 0.82, p <0.001]. Tissue levels of IL-1 beta were significantly correlated with extent of vitiligo [r = 0.57, p <0.01]. Patients with generalized vitiligo had significantly increased tissue and serum levels of NO and IL-1 beta. Tissue levels of IL-1 beta were positively correlated with tissue levels of NO, and extent of vitiligo