Nuclear Factor Erythroid-2-related Factor 2 Gene Polymorphisms in Vitiligo

Oxidative stress is now one of the accepted theories of vitiligo development. Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins.

This work aimed to evaluate the association of Nrf2 gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility to vitiligo among a sample of Egyptian patients with vitiligo.

This case-control study included 100 patients with vitiligo and 50 healthy matched volunteers serving as a control group. Genotyping was carried out by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

The frequencies of TT, CT, and combined (TT+CT) genotypes and the T allele of Nrf2 (rs35652124) were significantly increased in the studied patients with vitiligo relative to the healthy controls (p<0.001, p=0.012, p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). There was a nonsignificant difference between patients and controls regarding Nrf2 (rs6721961) genotypes. However, the T allele of Nrf2 (rs6721961) was significantly predominant in the studied patients compared to in the controls (p=0.029). Among the studied criteria, the T allele of Nrf2 (rs6721961) was predominant in patients with a marginal type of repigmentation (p=0.022), while the G allele of the same single-nucleotide polymorphism was associated with a higher body mass index value (p=0.034). One hundred percent of patients with vitiligo with the Nrf2 (rs6721961) GT genotype had a progressive disease course (p=0.015).

Nrf2 (-617 T/G) and (-653 T/C) polymorphism might play a role in patient susceptibility to vitiligo and modify the clinical presentation of the disease.