Abstract: Objective To study the possible role of cytokines interleukin-1beta(IL-1β),interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-8(IL-8),tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF)in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.Methods The serum levels of IL-β,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α,and GM-CSF were measured in 50 patients with vitiligo and 20 healthy volunteers with radioimmunoassay.Results The serum level of IL-6and GM-CSF in focal type and generalized type of vitiligo,and the serum level of IL-1βin generalized type were significantly higher than those in normal controls.In segmental type of vitiligo,the serum levels of all the cytokines tested were not significantly different from those in normal controls.The GM-CSF levels in focal type and generalized type,and the IL-6 level in generalized type of the progressive stage were significantly higher than those in the stable stage.Conclusion IL-6and GM-CSF may be involved in the autoimmune mechanism of non-segmental type of vitiligo.

Key words: Interleukin-6, Interleukin-8, Tumor necrosis factor, Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, Vitiligo, Interleukin-1