On the role of dendritic cells in the pathogenesis of vitiligo

Abstract

The authors give the results of immunohistochemistry studies of the skin of 16 healthy volunteers and 16 patients suffering from vulgar vitiligo with the determination of the contents of immature (CD1a+) and mature (CD83+) subpopulations of dendritic cells (DCs) as well as CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in the epidermis and perivascular infiltrates of the derma. They revealed an increased quantity of CD1a+ and CD83+ DCs in areas of depigmented, peripheral and perifocal normally pigmented skin of vitiligo foci. DCs with the CD1a+ phenotype were revealed both in the epidermis and in the derma while DCs with the CD83+ phenotype were revealed in the derma only. A higher quantity of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes than in healthy volunteers was also revealed along with the increased contents of DCs in all three areas of vitiligo foci. The authors established a strong correlation between the quantity of CD83+ DCs and CD4+ lymphocytes in the depigmentation zone (r=0.84; Р