title: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor in patients with vitiligo and relationship between duration and clinical type of disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo is a disorder of pigmentation characterized by the presence of depigmented skin macules. Cellular immunity is known to have a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a potent activator of macrophages and is considered to play an important role in cell-mediated immunity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine serum level of MIF in patients with vitiligo and compare with healthy controls. We also aimed to determine whether there is a relationship between MIF levels and the disease duration, clinical vitiligo and involved body surface area (BSA) in patients with vitiligo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group comprised 30 patients with vitiligo (14 men, 16 women) and 30 healthy controls, matched for age and gender. Blood samples were taken for MIF analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum level of MIF in patients with vitiligo (40.83 +/- 31.66 pg/mL) was significantly higher than that of the control group (21.00 +/- 6.48 pg/mL) (P = 0.002). There was a positive correlation between disease duration and MIF levels (r = 0.601, P < 0.001). Mean MIF level of patients with acral and acrofacial vitiligo (n = 6) was 48.25 +/- 32.02 pg/mL, and of patients generalized vitiligo (n = 18) was 44.46 +/- 35.25 pg/mL. There was no significant difference between these two groups (P > 0.05). However there was a significant difference in MIF levels between patients with localized (20.41 +/- 5.23, n = 5) and acral-acrofacial (P = 0.02) vitiligo and those with generalized (P = 0.006) vitiligo. There was no relationship between BSA and MIF levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mean serum MIF level of patients with vitiligo was higher than that of controls, indicating that MIF has a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Biochemistry and Public Health Faculty of Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey. gserarslan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serarslan
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yönden
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Söğüt
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Savaş
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arpaci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors