Dimethyl itaconate suppresses dendritic cell and CD8⁺ T cell responses to halt vitiligo.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although dendritic cell (DC)- and CD8⁺ T cell-mediated autoimmunity is critical for destroying melanocytes in vitiligo, treatment options remain limited by the absence of therapies that cotarget both cell types.

Methods

We first evaluated the association between the immunoregulatory metabolite itaconate and disease development, by determining human vitiligo serum itaconate levels and monitoring depigmentation progression in Acod1 knockout (KO) mice with endogenous itaconate deficiency. We further evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of the itaconate derivative, dimethyl itaconate (DI) in mice and assessed its effects on cutaneous infiltration and the functional properties of DCs and CD8⁺ T cells in vivo and ex vivo. The gene signatures and sign

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12750885 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature