Human beta-defensin 1 circulating level and gene polymorphism in non-segmental vitiligo Egyptian patients

Multi-omics analyses, cell experiments, and network pharmacology tools identified key proteins and candidate drugs for alopecia areata treatment

Purpose

Alopecia Areata (AA) is an inflammatory non-cicatricial alopecia with a high prevalence. Some patients with AA show an inferior response to treatment. To find key proteins in AA, Genome-wide association study data from three cohorts were analyzed using Mendelian randomization (MR) method.

Patients and methods

The gene expression of the identified proteins was further evaluated and compared between AA and healthy samples from two single-cell RNA datasets (GSE212447 and GSE233906 ). A cell model was also built to validate the findings. Autodock Vina and GROMACS, were also employed to search for ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) that interacted with the identified protein.

Results

Three proteins, DEFB1, HGFAC, and CYB5D2, were identified as potential drug targets. The altered gene expression in lesional samples of AA patients was consistent with the promoting or protective effects of identified proteins on the disease. The overexpression of risk factor DEFB1 upregulated the RNA and protein expression of MICA in HaCaT cells. The TCM ingredient cimigenol was found to interact with DEFB1 via molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of this interaction.

Conclusion

DEFB1 is a potential drug target with promising prospects for the development of novel drugs for treating AA. The TCM ingredient, cimigenol, is a promising drug for AA treatment.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12014-025-09544-6.

Association between miR-202, miR-211, and miR-1238 gene polymorphisms and risk of vitiligo

Vitiligo, as a common pigment defect in the skin, hair, and mucous membranes, results from the destruction of melanocytes. Recent investigations have shown that miRNA dysregulation contributes in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Therefore, in this research, our aim is to explore the relationship between miR-202 rs12355840, miR-211 rs8039189, and miR-1238 rs12973308 polymorphisms and susceptibility to vitiligo. A total number of 136 vitiligo patients and 129 healthy individuals as a control group were included in this research. The salting out approach was implemented to extraction genomic DNA. The genetic polymorphisms of miR-202 rs12355840, miR-211 rs8039189, and miR-1238 rs12973308 were determined using PCR-RFLP approach. The findings revealed that miR-202 rs12355840 polymorphism under codominant (CT and TT genotypes), dominant, recessive, overdominant, and also allelic models is correlated with increased risk of vitiligo. In addition, codominant, dominant, overdominant, as well as allelic models of miR-211 rs8039189 polymorphism decrease risk of vitiligo. No significant relationship was observed between the miR-1238 rs12973308 polymorphism and susceptibility to vitiligo. The miR-211 rs8039189 polymorphism may serve a protective effect on vitiligo development and miR-202 rs12355840 polymorphism may act as a risk factor for vitiligo susceptibility.