Digital Commons Network^™

Connections Between Protein Misfolding And Monobenzone-Induced Vitiligo, Senegal Carty

Biology

Vitiligo, an autoimmune disease affecting melanocytes, causes areas of skin to completely lose pigment. These colorless lesions can spread, eventually leading to the complete absence of skin and hair pigment in some patients. Exposure to monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH), or monobenzone, is an environmental trigger of this disfiguring disease. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism of this phenomenon by studying monobenzone's inhibition of tyrosinase, a melanocyte enzyme that plays a key role in melanin production. As tyrosinase is an oxidizing enzyme, we hypothesized that when inhibited by monobenzone, resulting elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) …