Role of beclin 1 and autophagy in vitiligo

Abstract

Objective The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review to summarize the role of beclin 1 and autophagy in vitiligo. Background Vitiligo is an acquired autoimmune pigmentary disorder due to loss of functional melanocytes. Few studies have shown that beclin 1 and autophagy play a role in vitiligo. Materials and methods Medline databases (PubMed, Medscape, ScienceDirect) and all materials published in English language are available on the Internet from 2008 to 2017. The search was performed in December 2017. All the studies were independently assessed for inclusion. They were included if they fulfilled the following criteria: published in English language, published in peer-reviewed journals, and focused on the role of beclin 1 in vitiligo. The initial search presented 16 articles of which three met the inclusion criteria. The articles studied the effect of role of beclin 1 in vitiligo. If the studies did not fulfill the above criteria, they were excluded. Comparisons were made by a structured review with the results tabulated. Results In total, three potentially relevant publications were included; there was an association between vitiligo, autophagy, and beclin 1. This association was due to the effect of beclin 1 as an autophagy gene on melanogenesis and melanosome degradation. Conclusion Beclin1 and autophagy have a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.