biostudies-literatureUnknown34(6)Wang SViral factor has been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of vitiligo. To elucidate the effects of viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) on melanocytes and to explore the underlying mechanisms, primary cultured normal human melanocytes were treated with synthetic viral dsRNA analog poly(I:C). The results demonstrated that poly(I:C)-triggered apoptosis when transfected into melanocytes, while extracellular poly(I:C) did not have that effect. Intracellular poly(I:C)-induced melanocyte death was decreased by RIG-I or MDA5 siRNA, but not by TLR3 siRNA. Both intracellular and extracellular poly(I:C) induced the expression of IFNB, TNF, IL6, and IL8. However, extracellular poly(I:C) demonstrated a much weaker induction capacity of cytokine genes than intracellular poly(I:C). Further analysis revealedDNA and cell biology391-9https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4485883biostudies-literatureDifferential responses of normal human melanocytes to intra- and extracellular dsRNA.PMC4485883Jin RZhu YWang SXu ALiu DfalseDifferential responses of normal human melanocytes to intra- and extracellular dsRNA.Viral factor has been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of vitiligo. To elucidate the effects of viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) on melanocytes and to explore the underlying mechanisms, primary cultured normal human melanocytes were treated with synthetic viral dsRNA analog poly(I:C). The results demonstrated that poly(I:C)-triggered apoptosis when transfected into melanocytes, while extracellular poly(I:C) did not have that effect. Intracellular poly(I:C)-induced melanocyte death was decreased by RIG-I or MDA5 siRNA, but not by TLR3 siRNA. Both intracellular and extracellular poly(I:C) induced the expression of IFNB, TNF, IL6, and IL8. However, extracellular poly(I:C) demonstrated a much weaker induction capacity of cytokine genes than intracellular poly(I:C). Further analysis revealed2015-01-01T00:00:00Z2015 Jun2025-04-04T12:51:41.772Z2019-03-27T01:54:16ZS-EPMC44858832580362010.1089/dna.2014.2711