Baghdad: In a scientific breakthrough that could reshape the future of vitiligo treatment, researchers in Japan have discovered that the cells responsible for skin pigmentation do not die or disappear, as previously believed. Instead, they enter a dormant state that prevents them from producing melanin.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the study found that these cells regress to a less mature state, losing their ability to produce pigment, which explains the appearance of the characteristic white patches in people with vitiligo. Researcher Ling Li Yang from Osaka University said the discovery provides a new explanation for the mechanism underlying vitiligo and could transform current treatment approaches by focusing on reactivating dormant cells rather than merely suppressing inflammation.

The research team explained that pigment-producing cells must remain attached to the surrounding basement membrane to maintain their normal function, a process typically mediated by a protein known as laminin-211. However, the study also identified elevated levels of another protein, laminin-332, in individuals with vitiligo. This alters the way the cells attach to the basement membrane, triggering a cascade of biological signals that drives them into a dormant state and causes them to lose their ability to produce melanin.

In experiments conducted on mice and human skin samples, researchers successfully reactivated these dormant cells using drugs that target these biological pathways. This restored the activity of genes responsible for pigmentation and enabled the cells to regain a significant portion of their normal function.

Professor Ichiro Katayama, one of the study’s authors, said the findings could represent a turning point in the treatment of vitiligo. While most current therapies focus on suppressing the immune system and reducing inflammation, the new findings suggest that treating the disease by restoring the activity of pigment-producing cells or re-establishing their normal attachment to the basement membrane may be possible.

The researchers believe this approach could pave the way for the development of more effective treatments that target the underlying biological cause of skin depigmentation, rather than focusing solely on controlling the immune response associated with the disease.