Abstract: In order to study the possible role of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (slL-2R) in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, we measured the levels of slL-2R in the sera and the tissue fluids from skin lesions and uninvolved skin from 41 patients with vitiligo, using the method of sandwich ELISA with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. The results showed that the overall level of serum sIL-2R from patients with vitiligo was significantly higher, than that from normal control group (P<0.01). The serum level of sIL-2R in the common type was significantly higher than that in normal control group(P<0.01), but there was no significant difference between the segmental type and normal control group (P>0.05). The level of serum sIL-2R from patients with vitiligo in progressive stage was significantly higher than that in stable stage (P<0.01). The level of sIL-2R in the tissue fluid from the skin lesion of the patient was significantly higher than uninvolved skin of the same patient (P<0.05). The above data indicate that there is an association between the expression of sIL-2R and the pathogenesis of vitiligo. The level of serum sIL-2R in vitiligo is related to the activity of the disease, therefore the measurement of it may be significant in estimating the severity and the prognosis of the disease.

Key words: Vitiligo, Receptor, interleukin-2