Role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of vitiligo with special emphasis on the antioxidant action of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of vitiligo and the effect of narrowband (NB) ultraviolet (UV) B phototherapy on oxidative stress markers.


METHODS
Patients with vitiligo and healthy control subjects were included in the study. Patients in the vitiligo group were treated with an NB-UVB regimen (3 × weekly for 6 months). Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), erythrocyte malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) levels were assessed in all participants at baseline, and after NB-UVB phototherapy in patients with vitiligo.


RESULTS
A total of 24 patients with vitiligo and 27 control subjects were included in the study. Before treatment, erythrocyte MDA levels were significantly higher, and SOD and GSH-Px levels were significantly lower, in patients with vitiligo compared with controls. NB-UVB phototherapy was associated with a significant reduction in MDA levels and a significant increase in GSH-Px levels, compared with baseline, in patients with vitiligo.


CONCLUSIONS
NB-UVB phototherapy may relieve oxidative stress in patients with vitiligo by reversing the oxidant-antioxidant imbalance that is considered to play a role in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Dermatology Department, Primer Hospital, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Neslihan
N
Karsli
Dermatology Department, Medical School, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey cenkakcali@gmail.com.
Cenk
C
Akcali
Dermatology Department, Medical School, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Orhan
O
Ozgoztasi
Dermatology Department, Medical School, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Necmettin
N
Kirtak
Dermatology Department, Medical School, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Serhat
S
Inaloz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000528:radiation effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*
D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
GSH-Px; Vitiligo; erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity; erythrocyte malonyldialdehyde; erythrocyte superoxide dismutase; narrowband UVB phototherapy; oxidative stress