title: Evaluation of the correlation between serum levels of vitamin D and vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in an Egyptian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo is an autoimmune depigmentation disorder. Polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) have been found to be associated with vitiligo.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the potential association between VDR gene polymorphisms (ApaI, TaqI, and FokI) and vitiligo susceptibility, and to detect if there is correlation between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and vitiligo and between VDR gene polymorphisms and 25(OH)D levels in vitiligo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients with vitiligo and 75 age and sex-matched controls were subjected to detailed history taking and dermatological examination to determine the extent and clinical type of vitiligo. A blood sample (5 ml) was retrieved to investigate VDR gene polymorphisms and serum 25(OH)D level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that the serum level of vitamin D is statistically significantly lower in patients than controls. The frequency of the ApaI variant a allele, the variant genotype (aa), and the variant genotype (tt) were significantly higher among the vitiligo cases than among controls. Our study also showed that the serum 25(OH)D levels were not significantly different among the different ApaI, TaqI, and FokI genotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that serum level of 25(OH)D is statistically significantly lower in patients than controls, so screening for vitamin D deficiency seems of value in patients with vitiligo for the possibility of vitamin D supplementation. We also report that VDR gene polymorphisms may be a risk for the development of vitiligo in an Egyptian population.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Shereen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sobeih
authors.affiliation: Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. hebamash2@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Heba M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mashaly
authors.affiliation: Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Heba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gawdat
authors.affiliation: Molecular Genetics, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Khalda
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amr
authors.affiliation: Dermatology, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mahmoud Fawzy Abdel
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.affiliation: Dermatology, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shaalan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004534:Egypt; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; C579457:VDR protein, human; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D