Vitiligo is a disease in which melanocytes are selectively destroyed. The disease is thought to be an autoimmune process being there are antibodies to pigment cells in the sera of patients and animals with vitiligo. In the present study, sera from vitiligo patients were examined for reactivity with the human melanoma cell line, SK-Mel-28, by Western blot analysis of solubilized membrane antigens of these cells to identify the pigment cell antigens defined by antibodies in the patients with vitiligo. Antibody reactivity to human melanoma cells (SK-Mel-28) was investigated in 14 patients with vitiligo, and 16 with normal control individuals. Antibodies to the 116-113, 60, 40 KD antigens were associated with vitiligo being present in 79%, 86%, and 43% respectively of the patients with vitiligo, but in only 6%, 38% and 6% of the normal controls. In contrast, antibodies to the 160-155, 78 and 64 KD antigens were equally common in vitiligo and in normal individuals. The results suggest that autoreactivity to pigment cells occurs more commonly in patients with vitiligo than in the normal control and high autoreactivity to pigment cells in the vitiligo sera might be an impertinent epiphemenon to destroyed pigment cell.
Antibodies, Neoplasm/*blood ; Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology ; Autoantibodies/blood ; Blotting, Western ; Human ; Melanoma/*immunology ; Vitiligo/*immunology

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo was divided into two types, segmental and non-segmental vitiligo. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study is to investigate the clinical differences of segmental and non-segmental vitiligo. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, using standard questionnaire items on 1190 cases of vitiligo was performed. RESULTS: The results were summarized as follows 1. The non-segmental vitiligo was 2.4fold more common than segmental vitiligo. 2. The mean age of onset was older in non-segmental vitiligo than in segmental vitiligo. 3. The mean duration was longer in non-segmental vitiligo. 4. The depigmented area was larger in non-segmental vitiligo. 5. The incidences of Koebner phenomenon, progressiveness and mucosal involvement were more common in non-segmental vitiligo. 6. There were no differences about sex ratio, blood typing, family history, and associated disorders. CONCLUSION: Segmental and non-segmental vitiligo differ substantially in various clinical manifestations, which suggests that two types of vitiligo have different pathogenic mechanism.
Age of Onset ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Sex Ratio ; Vitiligo* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The association of vitiligo and pernicious anemia has been previously documented. The low levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 were thought to be related to vitiligo. To date, there have been very few reports about the serum levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 in patients with vitiligo. Using radioimmunoassay, we measured the serum levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 in 100 Korean patients with vitiligo. The mean serum levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 were 6.31 +/- 2.82 ng/ml and 630.25 +/- 230.94 pg/ml, respectively, in patients with vitiligo. These levels showed no significant difference compared to the normal control group, suggesting that folic acid and vitamin B12 do not appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo.
Adolescence ; Adult ; Aging/blood ; Child ; Female ; Folic Acid/blood* ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Sex Characteristics ; Vitamin B 12/blood* ; Vitiligo/blood*

OBJECTIVETo observe the therapeutic effect of Xiaobai Mixture (XBM) in treating vitiligo.

METHODSSeventy-four patients with vitiligo were randomly divided into the XBM group treated with XBM and the control group treated with 8-MOP. The therapeutic effect, nail-fold microcirculation, plasma endothelin-1, serum immunoglobulin were observed and compared.

RESULTSThe therapeutic effect of XBM was better than that of 8-MOP (P < 0.05). XBM could also obviously improve the nail-fold microcirculation, elevate the plasma endothelin-1 level and lower the serum IgG (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONXBM has superiority in treating vitiligo.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Endothelin-1 ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Microcirculation ; Middle Aged ; Nails ; blood supply ; Phytotherapy ; Vitiligo ; drug therapy

Generalized vitiligo associated with allogeneic bone marrow or stem cell transplantation has rarely been reported. We experienced two cases of generalized vitiligo after allogeneic bone marrow and stem cell transplantation. The first patient was received an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and subsequent allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for severe aplastic anemia from his sister. The second patient underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for acute myelogeneous leukemia from his sister. Generalized vitiligo developed after transplantation. Neither vitiligo nor evidences of autoimmune diseases were found in their stem cell donors. Vitiligo was effectively treated with narrow band UVB irradiation.
Anemia, Aplastic ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Bone Marrow ; Bone Marrow Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukemia ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation ; Siblings ; Stem Cell Transplantation* ; Stem Cells* ; Tissue Donors ; Vitiligo*

OBJECTIVETo detect the serum levels of melanocyte antibodies and explore the relation between melanoma antigen recognized by T-cells (MART-1) and vitiligo in children.

METHODSThe serum samples were collected from children with vitiligo to test the autoantibodies, and divided into low- and high-titer group according to the test results. Melanocytes were incubated with the serum samples, and the changes of melanocyte surface antigen were evaluated using specific MART-1 antibody.

RESULTSThe serum melanocyte antibody levels in children with vitiligo were significantly higher than those in normal subjects. The expression level of melanocyte surface antigen MART-1 increased obviously after incubation of the melanocyte with high antibody titer serum samples, and MART-1 was found to specifically bind to specific MART-1 antibody.

CONCLUSIONMelanocytes MART-1 may correlate to the autoimmune mechanism in children with vitiligo.

Adolescent ; Autoantibodies ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; MART-1 Antigen ; immunology ; Male ; Melanocytes ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Vitiligo ; immunology

BACKGROUND: The increase of the incidence of autoimmune diseases and the autoimmune pathogenesis of vitiligo were reported. OBJECTIVE: We studied the frequency of autoimmune disorders and positivity of antinuclear antibody in Korean vitiligo patients. METHODS: Vitiligo patients (439 patients) and control subjects (197 patients) were interviewed about their history of autoimmune diseases. Laboratory studies including complete blood cell count, urine analysis, blood chemistry, fasting blood sugar, thyroid function test (T3, free T4, TSH), and antinuclear antibody were performed for the screening of autoimmune disorders. RESULTS: The diseases associated with vitiligo were microcytic hypochromic anemia (3.64%), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (2.96%), thyroid disease (3.96%), atrophic gastritis, and alopecia areata. In the control subjects, the associated diseases were microcytic hypochromic anemia (1.62%), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (4.65%), and thyroid disease (3.49%). These results show that the frequency of autoimmune disorders in vitiligo patients is not significantly higher than that in control subjects. Six (54.5%) out of 11 vitiligo patients with thyroid disease were diagnosed as having thyroid disease for the first time. Four (0.91%) out of 438 vitiligo patients showed positive to antinuclear antibody. Positivity of antinuclear antibody was not higher in vitiligo patients than that in control subjects (1.16%). CONCLUSION: Frequency of autoimmune diseases and positive reaction to antinuclear antibody in vitiligo patients were not significantly higher than those in control subjects.
Alopecia Areata ; Anemia, Hypochromic ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Blood Cell Count ; Blood Glucose ; Chemistry ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fasting ; Gastritis, Atrophic ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mass Screening ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Function Tests ; Vitiligo*

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy of Zengse Pill ( ZSP) on patients with vitiligo of qi-stagnancy and blood-stasis syndrome type (V-QB), and to preliminarily explore its mechanism of action.

METHODSSixty-five V-QB patients, with their diagnosis confirmed by clinical examination, were randomized by digital table method into two groups, with 31 patients in the control group and 34 in the treatment group. Cobamamide (2 tablets) was administered orally to all patients, and Psoralea tincture (a self-formulated preparation) was applied externally thrice a day. In addition, for patients in the treatment group, ZSP was given orally, at 5 pills per dose, 3 times every day. The therapeutic course for both groups was 3 months. Patients were re-examined every half-month, and changes in the skin lesions were observed and recorded. The levels of lymphocyte subsets, serum immune globulin, and complement C3 and C4 in patients were determined before and after the therapeutic course and compared with the corresponding indexes determined in 21 healthy subjects.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in the treatment group was 82.4%, which was markedly higher than that in the control group (54.8%), showing a significant difference (P<0.05). After treatment, CD(4) (+) percentage, CD(4) (+)/CD(8) (+) ratio, and blood levels of C3 and C4 increased, while CD(8) (+) percentage decreased in the treatment group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). All these indexes remained unchanged in the control group, and the respective comparisons between groups showed significant differences (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONZSP has a definite clinical effect on the treatment of V-QB but with no evident adverse reactions, and it can increase the CD(4) (+) percentage, CD(4) (+)/CD(8) (+) ratio, and the levels of serum C3 and C4, thus regulating the immunity of the organism, which might be one of its mechanisms of action.

Adolescent ; Adult ; CD4-CD8 Ratio ; Complement C3 ; analysis ; Complement C4 ; analysis ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; blood ; Lymphocyte Subsets ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Middle Aged ; Qi ; Vitiligo ; drug therapy ; immunology