Farag A.G.A.Habib M.S.Kamh M.E.Hammam M.A.Elnaidany N.F.DermatologyAndrology and STDs departmentFaculty of MedicineMenoufia UniversityEl MenoufiaEgypt; Medical Biochemistry departmentFaculty of MedicineMenoufia UniversityEl MenoufiaEgypt; Clinical Pharmacy departmentFaculty of Pharmacy-MSA University6th October CityEgypt2020-01-092020-01-0920183650596https://doi.org/10.1590/abd1806-4841.20186068PubMed ID 29723363https://t.ly/XAjzLScopusMSA Google ScholarBackground: Vitiligo is an autoimmune skin disorder in which the loss of melanocytes is mainly attributed to defective autoimmune mechanisms and, lately, there has been more emphasis on autoinflammatory mediators. Among these is the macrophage migration inhibitory factor, which is involved in many autoimmune skin diseases. However, little is known about the contribution of this factor to vitiligo vulgaris. Objective: To determine the hypothesized role of migration inhibitory factor in vitiligo via estimation of serum migration inhibitory factor levels and migration inhibitory factor mRNA concentrations in patients with vitiligo compared with healthy controls. We also aimed to assess whether there is a relationship between the values of serum migration inhibitory factor and/ or migration inhibitory factor mRNA with disease duration, clinical type and severity in vitiligo patients. Methods: Evaluation of migration inhibitory factor serum level and migration inhibitory factor mRNA expression by ELISA and real-time PCR, respectively, were performed for 50 patients with different degrees of vitiligo severity and compared to 15 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers as controls. Results: There was a highly significant increase in serum migration inhibitory factor and migration inhibitory factor mRNA levels in vitiligo cases when compared to controls (p<0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between both serum migration inhibitory factor and migration inhibitory factor mRNA concentrations in vitiligo patients, and each of them with duration and severity of vitiligo. In addition, patients with generalized vitiligo have significantly elevated serum migration inhibitory factor and mRNA levels than control subjects. Study limitations: Small number of investigated subjects. Conclusions: Migration inhibitory factor may have an active role in the development of vitiligo, and it may also be a useful index of disease severity. Consequently, migration inhibitory factor may be a new treatment target for vitiligo patients. � 2018 by Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia.EnglishMacrophage migration-inhibitory factorsMessengerRNAVitiligomacrophage migration inhibition factormessenger RNAadolescentadultagedbloodcase control studychildenzyme linked immunospot assayfemalegene expressionhumanmalemiddle agednonparametric testpathologyphysiologypreschool childreal time polymerase chain reactionreference valueseverity of illness indextime factorvitiligoyoung adultAdolescentAdultAgedCase-Control StudiesChildChild, PreschoolEnzyme-Linked Immunospot AssayFemaleGene ExpressionHumansMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsMaleMiddle AgedReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionReference ValuesRNA, MessengerSeverity of Illness IndexStatistics, NonparametricTime FactorsVitiligoYoung AdultArticlehttps://doi.org/10.1590/abd1806-4841.20186068PubMed ID 29723363