title: Increased serum levels of interleukin-23 circulating in patients with non-segmental generalized vitiligo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo is a common progressive depigmentation of the skin due to selective destruction of melanocytes. Nowadays increasing evidences support the hypothesis of an autoimmune etiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to sustain the role of T-helper-17 lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, we measured the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-23 (an important regulator of this subset) using a quantitative enzyme immunoassay technique in 12 males and 16 females (ages ranging from 18 to 58 years) affected by non-segmental vitiligo and compared the results with a group of healthy donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-23 serum levels were significantly higher in patients with vitiligo as compared with controls. There was a significant positive correlation of IL-23 serum levels with disease duration and extent of vitiligo and disease activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inhibition of IL-23 might be a novel strategy in the therapy of autoimmune inflammatory diseases like vitiligo.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaccaro
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Serafinella P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Cannavò
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School and Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Selene
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imbesi
authors.affiliation: Department Farmaco-Biologico, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariateresa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cristani
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School and Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Barbuzza
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School and Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tigano
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School and Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.|Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Immunology "A. Monroy" (IBIM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gangemi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D053759:Interleukin-23