The role of IL-17 in vitiligo: A review

• IL-17 and the Th17 program have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.
• Human and mouse studies show that IL-17 is significantly correlated with vitiligo and may play a role in its pathogenesis.

IL-17 is involved in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases; however its role in vitiligo has not been well defined. Emerging human and mouse studies have demonstrated that systemic, tissue, and cellular levels of IL-17 are elevated in vitiligo. Many studies have also shown significant positive correlations between these levels and disease activity, extent, and severity. Treatments that improve vitiligo, such as ultraviolet B phototherapy, also modulate IL-17 levels. This review synthesizes our current understanding of how IL-17 may influence the pathogenesis of autoimmune vitiligo at the molecular level. This has implications for defining new vitiligo biomarkers and treatments.