Impact of Phototherapy on the Immunological and Protein Profile Markers in Iraqi Patients with Vitiligo: Application of Principal Component Analysis

Background: Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease characterized by the loss of melanin pigment in the body, while interleukin-6 is a key indicator in activating the immune response associated with autoimmune diseases. Objective: The current study aims to understand vitiligo patients' immune and protein mechanisms using principal component analysis (PCA). Methods: The study involved 150 participants divided into three groups: patients treated with NB-UVB (PUV), newly diagnosed patients (PN), and healthy controls (C). Serum IL-6 concentrations were measured using ELISA, while total protein, albumin, and globulin were determined using colorimetric analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify statistically significant trends in the variables' distribution among various groups. Results: PCA analysis shows that biological variation among participants was primarily attributable to specific variables, most notably the albumin/globulin ratio and IL-6 concentration. A clear distinction was observed between healthy individuals and vitiligo patients, while the two disease groups (PUV and PN) showed similar biochemical and immunological characteristics, with some minor differences remaining. IL-6 and globulin levels significantly increased in both patient groups compared to the control group, although total protein, albumin, and A/G ratio levels significantly decreased. Conclusions: PCA analysis revealed IL-6 and albumin-to-globulin ratio as key factors influencing biological variation in vitiligo, highlighting immune responses and proteomic abnormalities as potential biomarkers for disease assessment and treatment.