Liver X receptor expression in human melanocytes, does it have a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo?

Abstract

Vitiligo is a common, non-contagious disorder. The basic pathogenesis of vitiligo generally, or for any of the putative subsets of vitiligo, remains unknown. The liver X receptors (LXRs), LXR-. α and LXR-. β are members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors. Important genes involved in regulation of melanocytes are target genes of LXRs; it can be speculated that LXRs might be playing an important role in pathogenesis of pigmentary disorders. We have demonstrated in this study that there is expression of LXR-. α/. β by human melanocytes at both transcriptional and translational levels. Our present data also revealed that the expression of LXR-. α at both mRNA and protein level was significantly higher in perilesional skin as compared to the normal skin of vitiligo patient. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.