Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune depigmentation disease characterized by loss of melanocyte function in the epidermis. The pathogenesis of vitiligo remains unclear. In recent years, there is increasing evidence that some gene polymorphisms are risk factors for this disease. In this study, we designed to investigate whether there is a relationship between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene Glu298Asp (G894T) and intron 4 VNTR polymorphisms and vitiligo. The study included 87 patients diagnosed with vitiligo and 96 healthy volunteers in the dermatology clinic of Bülent Ecevit University Medical Faculty. Polymerase chain reaction and enzyme restriction (PCR-RFLP) methods were used to detect Glu298Asp and intron 4 VNTR polymorphism. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of GG, GT, and TT genotype distributions and allele frequencies in terms of eNOS Glu298Asp gene polymorphism (p= 0.076). There was a significant difference between eNOS intron 4 VNTR polymorphisms in terms of genotype distribution and allele frequency (p=0.004). It was found that BB genotype increased the risk of disease 3.6 times compared to AB genotype. Although the pathogenesis is not known, genetic and immunological factors cooperate a role in the cause of vitiligo. Our study is thought to make an essential contribution to the literature in terms of being the first study on this subject.
Key words: Vitiligo, nitric oxide, polymorphism
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