Comparison of Skin Transcriptome between Responder and Non-Responder Vitiligo Lesions to Cell Transplantation: A Clinical Trial Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Advanced Technologies in Biology, University of Science and Culture, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Regenerative Biomedicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

4 Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran University of medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

5 Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

6 Department of Regenerative Biomedicine and Cell Terapy, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Autologous transplantation of epidermal cells has been used increasingly to treat vitiligo patients and is a simple, safe, and relatively efficient method. However, the outcome is not always satisfactory, and some patients show less or no response to this treatment. This study was evaluated to identify genes expressed differently among responders and non-responders to cell transplantation to find potential markers that could predict 'patients' responses to this type of cell therapy.
Materials and Methods: Eleven stable vitiligo patients who received autologous epidermal cell transplantation were included in this clinical trial study. Before cell transplantation, skin samples were obtained from the recipient’s vitiligo lesions. After epidermal cell transplantation, patients were followed for at least six months to assess the response to epidermal cell injection. RNA sequencing was used to determine potential gene expression profile differences between responder and non-responder vitiligo patients.
Results: The RNA sequencing results showed differences in expression levels of 470 genes between the skin specimens of responder versus non-responder patients. There were 269 up-regulated genes and 201 down-regulated
genes. Upregulated genes were involved in processes, such as Fatty Acid Omega Oxidation. Down-regulated genes
were related to PPAR signaling pathway, and estrogen signaling pathway. Among the most differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with the most altered RNA expression levels in responders versus non-responder patients, we selected three genes (up-regulated genes KRTAP10-11 and down-regulated genes IP6K2 and C9) as potential biomarkers, which are involved in associated pathways.
Conclusion: Based on our findings, it is estimated that proposed genes might predict the response of vitiligo patients to cell therapy. However, further studies are required to clarify the role of these genes in pathogenesis and to characterize gene expression in a larger number of vitiligo patients in the context of epidermal cell transplantation therapy (registration number: IRCT201508201031N16).

Keywords

References

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