Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology· 2026Q2· Review
Extracellular Vesicle Associated MicroRNAs in Vitiligo: A Systematic Review of Mechanisms and Translational Potential
- 0citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
A systematic review of seven studies found evidence linking specific microRNAs (e.g., miR-200c, miR-21-5p, miR-493-3p, miR-1469) within extracellular vesicles to vitiligo pathogenesis, affecting melanogenesis, keratinocyte function, and immune cell regulation.
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Key points
- Seven studies investigated EV-associated microRNAs in vitiligo, examining keratinocyte EVs, circulating fractions, and hUMSC EVs.
- miR-200c and miR-21-5p are linked to melanogenesis, and miR-493-3p to keratinocyte dopamine handling in segmental vitiligo.
- miR-1469 is associated with non-segmental vitiligo activity and NK-cell regulation.
- miR-487b-3p demonstrated exploratory biomarker potential with an AUC of 0.840 for pretreatment vs. post-treatment samples.
- hUMSC-EV experiments highlighted miR-125b-5p/BAK1 for melanocyte protection and miR-132-3p/SIRT1 for regulatory T-cell differentiation.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Background: Extracellular vesicle (EV)-associated microRNAs may contribute to vitiligo-related melanocyte and immune-cell changes. This review evaluates their mechanistic and translational evidence while distinguishing biological compartments and experimental models. Methods: Searches covered six information sources from database inception up to 30 April 2026. Three authors screened reports and three extracted data, with disagreements referred to designated adjudicators. Bias was appraised using an adapted Cochrane domain-based framework. No registration identifier was reported. Evidence was synthesized by design and EV source; heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. Results: Seven studies examined keratinocyte EVs, circulating EV-enriched fractions, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUMSC) EVs, or computational datasets. Cellular experiments linked miR-200c and miR-21-5p to melanogenesis and miR-493-3p to keratinocyte dopamine handling in segmental vitiligo. miR-1469 was associated with non-segmental vitiligo activity and natural killer (NK)-cell regulation. A small longitudinal miR-487b-3p study reported an exploratory area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.840 for pretreatment versus post-treatment samples. hUMSC-EV experiments distinguished miR-125b-5p/BAK1-mediated melanocyte protection from miR-132-3p/SIRT1-mediated regulatory T-cell differentiation. Computational associations provided hypothesis-generating evidence. Conclusion: Evidence supports selected experimental mechanisms and exploratory biomarker candidates. Small samples, heterogeneous methods, incomplete retrieval accounting, and lack of established external clinical validation limit inference. EV-based microRNA therapies remain preclinical. Keywords: extracellular vesicles, microRNA, vitiligo, systematic review, biomarker candidates, translational potential
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Cell Biology
Cell BiologyBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology