Effects of Vitamin D and Trace Elements Levels on Melanin Synthesis Pathway

Melanin is a polymeric pigment of many organisms formed as organic molecules in a cells group called melanocytes, melanogenesis is the pathway of melanin production which includes tyrosine oxidation and many polymerization reactions. Melanosme is a special organelles in which tyrosine is oxidized by tyrosinase enzyme to eumelanin. Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease characterized by melanin deficiency in certain zones in skin with unknown cause.
The study aims to explore the relationship between vitamin D and some trace elements with melanin deficiency, which may aid to predict the cause of melanin deficiency in vitiligo disease.
The study was performed in Al-Ramadi Teaching Hospital on 42 vitiligo patients and 42 healthy individuals (control group). Serum vitamin D was estimated for both patients and healthy individual groups by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, the trace elements levels (iron, copper and zinc) were determined by atomic absorption device. The results of our study showed a significant decrease in each of serum vitamin D, iron, copper and zinc for patients compared with healthy individuals group in statistical threshold of (p<0.0001). The studied parameters showed the decreasing of the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve: vitamin D (0.9974), iron (0.9060), copper (0.8118) and zinc (0.8250), new cut-off values were determined of vitamin D (< 21.96), iron (< 11.21), copper (< 11.96) and zinc (< 12.55). We concluded from the results of estimated parameters in our study that melanin pigment synthesis pathway can be affected by the decreased levels of vitamin D, iron, copper and zinc. These parameters especially vitamin D are related to melanogenesis since vitamin D decreases various cytokines expression responsible of vitiligo.