Vitiligo (also known as leucoderma) is a chronic, often long-lasting autoimmune disease, where the melanocytes are pathologically killed ultimately resulting in depigmented patches on the skin. It is considered a complex disease wherein multiple genetic factors and environmental triggers simultaneously contribute to its pathogenesis [Spritz and Andersen, 2017]. Though genetic factors have been characterized, environmental triggers have been underexplored. Over the past century, specific chemical exposures have been identified as clear triggers of vitiligo [Frisoli et al., 2020], but there is no single resource that compiles all such vitiligo-triggering chemicals in human exposome.
In this direction, we present Vitiligo-linked Chemical Exposome Knowledgebase (ViCEKb) that compiles and curates 113 potential chemical triggers for vitiligo from published literature. The first version of ViCEKb was released on 10 October 2023.
In ViCEKb, each chemical has been mapped to their standard identifiers such as PubChem identifier, Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number, DSSTox identifier, canonical SMILES, InChI and InChIKey. Furthermore, ViCEKb provides users with chemical information such as 2D and 3D structures, environmental sources, chemical characterization (Classyfire), physicochemical properties, molecular descriptors, predicted ADMET properties, and presence in consumer products (Chemical and Products Database - CPDat). To understand the regulatory status of the compiled chemicals, a comparative analysis was performed with various chemical exposome databases, and regulatory lists pertaining to skin sensitization. In addition, we have obtained the target genes for compiled chemicals using ToxCast in vitro human assays.
The supporting evidences of the chemicals in ViCEKb have been characterized into three distinct categories:
The types of reported exposures have been organized into different categories:
- Cohort study - population-wide studies comprising of various sources
- Consumable - chemical exposure through consumption
- Cosmetics - chemical exposure through skin care and skin modifying products
- Daily-use product - chemical exposure through products used on daily basis
- Laboratory - in vitro chemical studies
- Medical - chemical exposure through medical treatments
- Occupational - chemical exposure in workplace
CITATION
If you use our resource, please cite the following research article:Nikhil Chivukula, Kundhanathan Ramesh, Ajay Subbaroyan, Ajaya Kumar Sahoo, Gokul Balaji Dhanakoti, Janani Ravichandran, Areejit Samal*, ViCEKb: Vitiligo-linked Chemical Exposome Knowledgebase, Science of The Total Environment, 913:169711 (2024).
* Corresponding author.
DISCLAIMER
ViCEKb is a knowledgebase of chemicals linked with pathogenesis of vitiligo in humans that have been curated from various published case study reports, clinical observation reports and research articles. The authors are not liable for any inaccuracies or omissions of any chemicals or published scientific literature pertaining to vitiligo-triggering chemicals in this resource. Users are advised to exercise their own discretion while judging the weight of evidence for vitiligo-triggering chemicals compiled in this resource. Importantly, our sole goal to build this resource on potential vitiligo-triggering chemicals is to enable future basic research on this topic, and it does not necessarily reflect the views or objectives of our employers or funders.