Serum chemokine levels as a predictor of progressive vitiligo
Sobolev A.V., Skrek S.V., Yunovidova A.A., Uzkaya A.A., Korneev M.D., Mashuka D.M.
Background: Vitiligo is an acquired autoimmune disease characterized by depigmentation of the skin and mucous membranes.
It is caused by damage to determined melanocytes by effector cells. Exposomal trigger factors, as well as congenital and adaptive autoimmune activation of the immune system in the skin and mucous membranes, play a key role in the development of the disease. The effectiveness of vitiligo treatment depends on the appropriate choice of treatment method based on the stage of the disease. In the progressive stage of the disease, systemic and topical immunosuppressive agents are typically used, while in the subacute and chronic stages, phototherapy combined with adjuvant therapies aimed at repigmentation of the lesions is effective.
Objective: This article discusses the role of key immunological biomarkers in choosing a treatment method for vitiligo. An analysis of the correlation between increased chemokine levels in the peripheral blood and clinical and morphological signs of disease progression is presented.
Materials and methods: Plasma samples from patients with advanced vitiligo (n=38) were analyzed. There were 20 men and 18 women. 81.6% (31 patients) had the acute or subacute stage of the disease (progressive vitiligo), while 18.4% (7 patients) had chronic vitiligo. All patients underwent peripheral blood testing for CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 chemokine levels at different stages of the disease.
Results: Analysis of the obtained data revealed significantly elevated chemokine levels in patients with vitiligo compared to healthy individuals: CXCL9 – 3401.00 pg/ml versus 1138.00 pg/ml, p<0.001; CXCL10 – 724.00 pg/ml versus 201.30 pg/ml, p<0.001; CXCL11 – 431.10 pg/ml versus 170.00 pg/ml, p=0.018. However, when comparing the parameters within the study group, the concentrations of CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 were significantly increased in patients in the acute and subacute stages compared to patients with chronic vitiligo: CXCL9 – 2890.00 pg/ml versus 1683.00 pg/ml, p<0.001; CXCL10 – 678.00 pg/ml versus 346.00 pg/ml, p<0.001; CXCL11 – 342.00 pg/ml versus 249.00 pg/ml, p=0.016. Peripheral blood chemokine levels in patients with chronic vitiligo were slightly elevated compared to healthy control subjects: CXCL9 1683.00 pg/ml vs. 1138.00 pg/ml, p<0.001; 346.00 pg/ml vs. 201.30 pg/ml, p<0.001; 249.00 pg/ml vs. 170.00 pg/ml, p=0.014. Increased peripheral blood CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 levels were detected during the acute stage of the disease, while in patients with chronic vitiligo, these chemokine levels remained within normal limits.
Conclusion: Increased levels of certain chemokines in peripheral blood may indicate the acute stage of vitiligo, requiring immunosuppressive therapy. Moreover, ultraviolet irradiation of vitiligo lesions during the acute phase will be ineffective and may even worsen the disease.
For citations: Sobolev A.V., Skrek S.V., Yunovidova A.A., Uzkaya A.A., Korneev M.D., Mashuka D.M. Serum chemokine levels as a predictor of progressive vitiligo. Pharmateca. 2026;33(1):96-100. (In Russ.). DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/pharmateca.2026.1.96-100
Authors’ contribution: The authors contributed equally to all stages of the work and preparation of the article: concept development, data collection and analysis, writing and editing the article, reviewing and approving the article.
Conflicts of interest: The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding: The study was conducted without any sponsorship.
Ethical Approval: not required.
Patient Consent for Publication: All patients provided informed consent for the publication of their data.
Authors’ Data Sharing Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author after approval from the principal investigator.
Keywords
chemokines
personalized therapy
progressive vitiligo
effector cells
determined melanocytes
About the Authors
Aleksey V. Sobolev, Dr. Sci. (Med.), Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Chief Allergologist of the Northwestern Federal District, Professor at the Department of Clinical Mycology, Allergology, and Immunology, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov; Pierre Wolkenstein Skin Clinic, St. Petersburg, Russia; Sobolev757@rambler.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7866-1878, Scopus ID: 7101981306, eLibrary SPIN: 5448-4106Sergey V. Skrek, Cand. Sci. (Med.), Dermatologist, Oncologist, Dermatology and Vascular Medicine Service, Victor Dupouy Hospital Center, Argenteuil (France); Pierre Wolkenstein Skin Clinic, St. Petersburg, Russia; skrek.sv@gmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9112-6834, Scopus ID: 57192836945, eLibrary SPIN: 3206-9242
Anastasia A. Yunovidova, Dermatologist, Pierre Wolkenstein Skin Clinic; Postgraduate Student, Department of Clinical Mycology, Allergology, and Immunology, North-Western State Medical University named after I.I. Mechnikov, St. Petersburg, Russia; anastasia.yunovidova@gmail.com, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7986-798X, Scopus ID: 57192836334, eLibrary SPIN: 6883-3022 (corresponding author)
Alina A. Uzkaya, Dermatologist, Pierre Wolkenstein Skin Clinic; Adamant Medical Clinic, St. Petersburg, Russia; uzkaya.lina@mail.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6664-3840
Mikhail D. Korneev, Resident Physician, Department of Dermatovenereology, Saint Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia; m.korneev10@internet.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2048-7083
Dana M. Mashuka, Dermatovenereologist, Karachay-Cherkess Republican Dermatovenereology Dispensary, Cherkessk, Russia; d.mashuka@mail.ru,
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7008-9608
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