No abstract available.
Korean War*

Vitiligo is frequently associated with autoimmune diseases, such as multiple glandular insuffi ciencies and thyroid diseases. In addition, various circulating antiorgan antibodies are found in patients with vitiligo. This raises the possibility that vitiligo might also be an antibody associated au toimmune disease. Variou. alterations in peripheral mononuclear cells, especially T-cells and T-cell subsets have been desiribed in patients with vitiligo. The discovery of circulating antimelanocyte antibodies in patients with vitiligo demonstrateci that vitiligo may be associted with alterations in the specific immunity to melanocytes. These vit iligo antibodies, which are more common in patients with vitiligo than in normal individuals, react with cell surface pigment cell antigens with MWs of approximately 150, 90, 75, 40-45, and 35 kDa, and can kill rnelanocytes in vitro. It has been suggested tiat melanocytes are much more sensitive to toxic or immune mediatece injury that other cutaneou; cell types, thus explaining their apparently selective destruction in vitiligo despite the rather bro d specificity of these vitiligo antibodies. However vitiligo autoantibodies are not found in all vitilio patients. Some of t,hem are present in patients without vitiligo. Tak ing into account the common occurrence of circulation autoantibodies irrelevant to the pathogene sis of the cutaneous hypomelanosis in vitiligo patients, the pathogenetic role of these vitiligo anti bodies has not yet been demonstrated, and the possibility that they represent an impertineni epiphenomenon in vitiligo cannot be ruled out.
Allergy and Immunology* ; Antibodies ; Autoantibodies ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Humans ; Hypopigmentation ; Melanocytes ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thyroid Diseases ; Vitiligo*

Increased pigmentation of skin after sun exposure is a normal response to solar radiation. Like sunburn, suntan can also be produced by natural solar radiation and by artificial, narrow-spectrum ultraviolet B and ultraviolet A sources. The tanning response is a sign of ultraviolet damage. The western search for the suntan has led to an increased incidence of photoaging and skin cancer of light-skinned individuals. Photoaging is characterized by wrinkling, coarseness, dryness, mottled pigmentation, loss of elasticity, easy bruising, telangiectasias, and benign, premalignant and malignant growths on sun-exposed areas. Photoagings is a slow process, taking decades to become clinically apparent and even longer for all the manifestations to occur. Development of photoagings is determined both by genetic skin type and by the total lifetime radiation dose. Photoaging is more apparent in light-skinned Caucasians than in dark-skinned people. Although it is not possible to state what proportion is due to chronologic aging and what is due to photoaging, it has been estimated that photodamage may account for greater than 90 percent of the age- associated cosmetic problems of the skin. The proliferation of natural tanning and tanning salons should be discouraged by physicians. There is no safe tan.
Aging ; Elasticity ; Incidence ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Skin Neoplasms ; Solar System ; Sunburn ; Suntan* ; Tanning ; Telangiectasis ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl

Segmental vitiligo is considered to be characterized by unilateral depigmented patches along dermatomes, but we found two cases of segmental vitiligo in which the vitiligo lesions appeared bilaterally on the same or different dermatomes. The clinical course of bilateral segmental vitiligo seems to be the same as that of unilateral segmental vitiligo.
Vitiligo*

No Abstract Available.
Hypopigmentation*

Report. about numeric change of LC between vitiliginous skin(VS) and adjacent normal appering skin (ANAS) are hard to find, Epidermal Langerhans Cell (LC) dersities in VS and ANAS were studied in 18 patient with generalized vitiligo. Adenosine triphosphatase(ATPase) stain was used to characterize LC. Epidermal LC densities were calculated by means of an eye piece reticule and expressed per mm. The results were as follows; 1. The was significant body site variation of LC densities in ANAS and the range of densities of LC per mm were from 668+165 to 1,241 _3 and the mean density of LC per mm was 944+258. 3. The LC densities of VS was similar to that of ANAS(p: not significant). In conclusion quantiative change of epidermal LC in vitiligo doesn't seem to have significant relation with pathogenesis of vitiligo.
Adenosine ; Humans ; Langerhans Cells ; Skin ; Vitiligo*

This is an analysia of 126 cases(14.1%) of segmental vitiligo among 892 vitiligo patient who had visited vitiligo special clinie in Severance Hospital. The results are summarized as follow : 1. There were 53 males(42.1%) and 73 females(57.9%). 2. The mean age of onset was 15.4 years, the mean age on the first visit was 19.3 years, and mean duration of the disease was 4.8 years. 3. Mode of onset was single in 86.5% and the disease was table in 57.1% of patients at the visit. 4. The mean percentage of depigmented lesions was 3.3% and less than 5% of body surface area was involved in 86.5% of patients. 5. The most common site of involvement was head and necl(59.6%), especially face(43.7%) and the trigerminal dermatome was most commonly involved. 6. Poliosis was observed in 39.7%. 7. Family history of vitiligo was obtained in 11.1% of patients. There was no precipitating factors in 126 cases prior to development of vitiligo. 8. Koebner phenomenon was found in 4% of patients. 9. Association with diseases of a proven or suggested allergic or immunologic etiology including atopic dermatitis, halo nevus, uveitis, thyroid disease, lopecia areata and premature graying of hair was found in 10.3% of patients.
Age of Onset ; Body Surface Area ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; Hair ; Head ; Humans ; Nevus, Halo ; Precipitating Factors ; Thyroid Diseases ; Uveitis ; Vitiligo*

BACKGROUND: Nevus depigmentosus was first reported in 1884 by Lesser. It is defined as a congenital non-progressive hypopigmented macule or patch that is stable in its relative size and distribution throughout the life of the individual. The etiopathogenesis and histopathological characteristics of nevus depigmentosus are not fully established. OBJECT: The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical and histopathological characteristics and pathogenesis of nevus depigmentosus. METHODS: Clinieal survey was carried out on forty-nine patients with nevus depigmentosus and two skin biopsies were taken from eighteen patients; from the central part of the depigmented lesion and the border of the lesion including the perilesional normal skin. The sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Fontana-Masson and S-100 protein. The ultrastructural evaluation were also done to detect alternation of melanocytes. RESULTS: The results are as follows ; 1. The lesions were mostly (91.8%) present before the age of three, but some lesions appeared in childhood (8.2%). 2. The lesions were most frequently found on the trunk (42.9%), followed by the face and scalp (20.4%). 3. There were 33 patients (67.3%) with the isolated type, 15 patients (30.6%) with the dermatomal type and one patient with the whorled type. 4. Histopathological studies have shown that the stainability of Fontana-Masson in the lesions of nevus depigmentosus was decreased compared with perilesional nomal skin, but there were no changes in the number of melanocytes. 5. There was a great reduction in the number of melanosomes in melanocytes and keratinocytes of nevus depigmentosus. In keratinocytes, there was some aggregations of melanosomes and some of them showed membrane bound architecture. CONCLUSION: The results of this study support the fact that nevus depigmentosus is caused by functional defects of melanocytes and morphological abnonnalities of melanosomes.
Biopsy ; Humans ; Keratinocytes ; Melanocytes ; Melanosomes ; Membranes ; Nevus* ; S100 Proteins ; Scalp ; Skin

Vitiligo is a relatively common depigmentary disorder occurring in approximately 1-2% of the general population. All races are affected. Both sexes are likely to be affected equally; the female prevalence in some studies can probably be attributed to cosmetic reasons. It can occur and spread at any stage of life and is often associated with a positive family history. Up to 30 percent of patients have reported vitiligo in another family member. The lesion is characterized by discrete, pale-white macules, few or several in number, which tend to enlarge centrifugally over time. It is not contagious, nor is it a serious health problem. However, it can be troublesome in brown and black people as well as in white persons who tan deeply (skin phototype IV), and often leads to social embarrassment and psychological turmoil.
Continental Population Groups ; Female ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Triacetoneamine-N-Oxyl ; Vitiligo*

BACKGROUND: Monofunctional psoralens plus UVA radiation are not severely phototoxic and have less mutagenic activity than bifunctional psoralens plus UVA radiation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate pigment producing effect using various concentrations(0.02%, 0.1%, 0.5%) of monofunctional psoralens such as angelicin, khellin and comparing it's effect with TMP in topical photochemotherapy. METHOD: Ninty three C57BL mice were painted with either angelicin, khellin or TMP solution in concentrations of 0.02%, 0.1% and 0.5% each and were UVA irradiated. Skin biopsies were performed at 1,3,5 weeks after UVA irradiation. The pigment producing effects were measured by the number, area and perimeter of the melanocytes after topical PUVA. RESULTS: The comparison of melanocyte numbers between different psoralens after five weeks of photochemotherapy showed a significant difference in decreasing order of TMP, khellin and angelicin. The area and perimeter of melanocytes were larger in the TMP group after five weeks photochemotherapy than the other group. However in the khellin and angelicin group, the area and perimeter of melanocytes were not increased by increasing the frequency of the UVA irradiation. CONCLUSION: The number, area and perimeter of melanocytes after topical PUVA increased in the TMP group compared to angelicin or khellin group. We expect the clinical application of angelicin and khellin in vitiligo is possible considering the result of the study of pigment producing effect with a higher concentration and higher dose of UVA.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Ficusin* ; Furocoumarins ; Khellin ; Melanocytes* ; Methods ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Paint ; Photochemotherapy* ; Skin ; Thymidine Monophosphate ; Vitiligo