{
  "abstract": "Stable non-segmental vitiligo is sustained by persistent autoimmune responses involving tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells, impaired regulatory T-cell (Treg) function, and chronic cytokine-mediated inflammation. Although fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser and narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) phototherapy are widely used to induce repigmentation, their immunomodulatory mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this prospective, non-randomized exploratory study, 19 patients with stable non-segmental vitiligo received either monthly fractional CO2 laser monotherapy or fractional CO2 laser combined with NB-UVB phototherapy for 6 months. Serum IL-15 and IL-17A concentrations were quantified by ELISA at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Double immunofluorescence was performed to evaluate cutaneous TRM- and Treg-associated markers (CD4, CD8, CD25, CD49a, CD69, CD103, FOXP3) together with melanocyte-associated markers (MITF and c-KIT). Longitudinal differences between treatment groups were assessed using linear mixed-effects models with treatment-by-time interactions. Serum IL-15 and IL-17A concentrations decreased significantly over time in both treatment groups. At 6 months, IL-15 concentrations did not differ significantly from those in healthy controls in either group, whereas IL-17A concentrations did not differ significantly from healthy-control values in the fractional CO2 laser monotherapy group but remained significantly higher in the combination-treatment group. Cutaneous analyses demonstrated longitudinal changes in selected TRM- and Treg-associated markers and melanocyte-associated markers, with MITF showing the most pronounced increase. Several cutaneous immune markers remained significantly different from healthy-control values after 6 months. No statistically significant treatment-by-time interactions were detected for IL-15, IL-17A, or the evaluated dermal and epidermal markers. Fractional CO2 laser monotherapy and fractional CO2 laser combined with NB-UVB were both associated with longitudinal changes in circulating inflammatory cytokines and selected cutaneous immune- and melanocyte-associated markers in patients with stable non-segmental vitiligo. Persistent abnormalities in several cutaneous immune markers suggest that treatment did not fully restore the cutaneous immune-marker profile within the 6-month observation period. Given the small sample size and non-randomized exploratory design, the absence of statistically significant treatment-by-time interactions should not be interpreted as evidence of therapeutic equivalence, non-inferiority, or absence of an additional effect of NB-UVB.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Clinic and Department of Dermatology, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Clinical Immunology, School of Medicine, University Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland",
    "Department of Plant Breeding and Bioresource Engineering, University of Warmia and Mazury, Plac Łódzki 3/422, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Alicja Frączek"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Joanna Czerwińska",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6371-8130"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Dariusz Załuski",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5904-3035"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Agnieszka Owczarczyk-Saczonek",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8372-0438"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/crfqkvqzpehxw.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/ijms27209076",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13705425/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "crfqkvqzpehxw",
  "issns": [
    "1422-0067"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/20/9076",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1307|melanin and skin pigmentation"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221590344",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13705425/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13705425",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/crfqkvqzpehxw.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:55Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/ijms27209076",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/20/9076"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:34Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13705425",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13705425"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:1307|melanin and skin pigmentation",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Immunomodulatory Effects of Fractional CO2 Laser and Narrowband UVB in Stable Non-Segmental Vitiligo",
  "title_text": "Immunomodulatory Effects of Fractional CO2 Laser and Narrowband UVB in Stable Non-Segmental Vitiligo",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:34Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/crfqkvqzpehxw",
  "venue": "International Journal of Molecular Sciences",
  "versions": []
}