Levels of neuropeptide-Y in the plasma and skin tissue fluids of patients with vitiligo

In order to study the possible role of neuropeptide-Y (NPY) in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, the authors measured the levels of NPY in the plasma from 47 patients with vitiligo compared with 25 healthy volunteers, and the tissue fluids of skin lesions and uninvolved skin from 32 patients, employing a NPY 125I RIA Kit. The results showed that the levels of NPY in the patients with vitiligo of all of the generalized, local and segmental types were significantly higher than the normal controls. In both local and segmental type, the levels in progressive stage were significantly higher than those in stable stage, while in generalized type, there was no significant difference between those in progressive stage and stable stage. The levels of NPY in the tissue fluids from skin lesions were significantly higher than those from uninvolved skin in both the local type and segmental type, while in the generalized type, there was no significant difference between the NPY level in the tissue fluid from skin lesion and that from uninvolved skin. It is speculated that NPY may play certain roles in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, via neuro-immunity mechanism or neuronal affection on the melanocytes.