TY - JOUR
T1 - Specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses against Melan-A/Mart1, tyrosinase and Gp100 in vitiligo by the use of major histocompatibility complex/peptide tetramers
T2 - The role of cellular immunity in the etiopathogenesis of Vitiligo
AU - Palermo, Belinda
AU - Campanelli, Rita
AU - Garbelli, Silvia
AU - Mantovani, Stefania
AU - Lantelme, Erica
AU - Brazzelli, Valeria
AU - Ardigó, Marco
AU - Borroni, Giovanni
AU - Martinetti, Miriam
AU - Badulli, Carla
AU - Necker, Antje
AU - Giachino, Claudia
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Vitiligo is a common skin disease characterized by the presence of well circumscribed, depigmented, milky white macules devoid of identifiable melanocytes. Although the detection of circulating anti-melanocytic antibodies and of infiltrating lymphocytes at the margin of lesions supports the view that vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder, its etiology remains unknown. In particular, it is still a matter of debate whether the primary pathogenic role is exerted by humoral or cellular abnormal immune responses. In this study, the presence of specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses against the melanocyte differentiation antigens Melan-A/MART1, tyrosinase, and gp100 in vitiligo patients have been investigated by the use of major histocompatibility complex/peptide tetramers. High frequencies of circulating melanocyte-specific CD8+ T cells were found in all vitiligo patients analyzed. These cells exerted anti-melanocytic cytotoxic activity in vitro and expressed skin-homing capacity. In one patient melanocyte-specific cells were characterized by an exceptionally high avidity for their peptide/major histocompatibility complex ligand. These findings strongly suggest a role for cellular immunity in the pathogenesis of vitiligo and impact on the common mechanisms of self tolerance.
AB - Vitiligo is a common skin disease characterized by the presence of well circumscribed, depigmented, milky white macules devoid of identifiable melanocytes. Although the detection of circulating anti-melanocytic antibodies and of infiltrating lymphocytes at the margin of lesions supports the view that vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder, its etiology remains unknown. In particular, it is still a matter of debate whether the primary pathogenic role is exerted by humoral or cellular abnormal immune responses. In this study, the presence of specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses against the melanocyte differentiation antigens Melan-A/MART1, tyrosinase, and gp100 in vitiligo patients have been investigated by the use of major histocompatibility complex/peptide tetramers. High frequencies of circulating melanocyte-specific CD8+ T cells were found in all vitiligo patients analyzed. These cells exerted anti-melanocytic cytotoxic activity in vitro and expressed skin-homing capacity. In one patient melanocyte-specific cells were characterized by an exceptionally high avidity for their peptide/major histocompatibility complex ligand. These findings strongly suggest a role for cellular immunity in the pathogenesis of vitiligo and impact on the common mechanisms of self tolerance.
KW - Cytotoxic T lymphocytes
KW - Human
KW - Melanocyte differentiation antigen
KW - Vitiligo
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U2 - 10.1046/j.1523-1747.2001.01408.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1523-1747.2001.01408.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 11511311
AN - SCOPUS:0035721929
VL - 117
SP - 326
EP - 332
JO - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
JF - Journal of Investigative Dermatology
SN - 0022-202X
IS - 2
ER -