Serum Level of vitamin B12 in Patients with Vitiligo and its Potential Role as a Disease Biomarker

Abstract

Vitiligo is an acquired depigmenting cutaneous disorder characterized by the loss of melanocytes from the epidermis. It affects approximately 0.5% of the population worldwide. The characteristic lesion is a totally amelanotic, non scaly, chalky-white macule with distinct margins. The mechanism by which melanocytes are lost is not fully understood. There are three major hypotheses for the pathogenesis of vitiligo. The first and most acceptable hypothesis considers vitiligo as an autoimmune disease. The second is the neural hypothesis which suggests that accumulation of a neurochemical substance decreases melanin production. Finally, the biochemical hypothesis implies auto-destruction of melanocytes as a result of cytotoxic by-products of melanin synthesis Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally