Charles Seminar Series 2021-22: Role of Regulatory T cells in Vitiligo: from pathogenesis to therapeutics with Guest Speaker Dr Mitesh Dwivedi, Online via Zoom.
Date of Talk: Wednesday 1st December 2021 at 12PM
Location:Online via Zoom.
Talk Title: Role of Regulatory T cells in Vitiligo: from pathogenesis to therapeutics
Speaker Details: Dr Mitesh Dwivedi, C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Uka Tarsadia University, Surat, Gujarat-394350, India
Short Biography: Dr Mitesh Kumar Dwivedi received his M.Sc. (Microbiology, 2006) from University of Mysore and his Ph.D. from The M. S. University of Baroda, India (2013). Since 2014, he has been serving as Assistant Professor at C. G. Bhakta Institute of Biotechnology, Uka Tarsadia University. He has published 54 research papers in reputed journals (h-index: 21; total citations: 1599), written 15 book chapters and is editor of 7 books. He has been contributing to vitiligo research for 14 years. His research interests include immunogenetic & therapeutic aspects of vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell disease and role of probiotics in human health & disease.
Abstract for talk: Vitiligo is an acquired hypomelanotic skin disease results from loss of functional melanocytes from the epidermis leading to white patches. Several theories have been put forward to explain the melanocyte destruction in Vitiligo, but autoimmune hypothesis has been considered as the major one. Antibodies against melanocytes and autoreactive T cells have been found in Vitiligo patients’ skin and blood suggesting that hyperimmune response towards melanocytes led to melanocyte destruction; however, the exact triggering mechanisms are not fully understood. The role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been suggested to control the ongoing immune response in healthy individual; however, in Vitiligo patients both, the numbers of Tregs and the suppressive function of Tregs were found to be reduced, particularly in active cases of the disease. Thus, the talk will focus on the deregulation of these Tregs, and possible factors (NFATs, FOXP3) involved in this. Additionally, the therapeutic aspects of Tregs in vitiligo will also be discussed.
If you are UCD-affiliated or a Consultant Dermatologist in Ireland and would like to register for this talk, please email charles@ucd.ie
