Evaluation of Serum and Tissue Cathepsin L in Non-segmental Vitiligo Patients

Serum level of Cathepsin L: 3 cm of blood will be taken on EDTA tubes from patients and control subjects and will be analyzed by double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the level of CTSL in blood samples. Tissue expression of Cathepsin L: 5 mm punch biopsies will be taken under local anesthesia from lesions and from the adjacent normal skin of patients (from the lesional and peri-lesional sites). Also, skin biopsy of normal skin will be taken from healthy volunteers. The specimen of skin will be immediately placed in a formalin saline, and then immune-histochemical evaluation will be done to evaluate the CTSL expression in tissue.