Moninder Kaur1, Permeet Kaur Bagga2, Tejinder Kaur3, Amarjit Singh Kataria4. 1. Junior Resident, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India. 2. Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India. 3. Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India. 4. Professor, Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Vitiligo is an acquired cutaneous disorder characterized by progressive and selective destruction of melanocytes from the epidermis. Autoimmunity is strongly implicated in its pathogenesis. The destruction of melanocytes has a correlation with the peripheral blood lymphocyte imbalance mainly including Cytotoxic T cells (CD8+cells) and Helper T cells (CD4+cells). The progression of vitiligo is associated with higher CD8+ counts and lower CD4+ counts thus, altering CD4+: CD8+ ratio. AIM: To evaluate the clinically suspected cases of vitiligo histopathologically and histochemically and to establish the co-relation of autoimmunity with the flow cytometric analysis of CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocyte counts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 40 patients with proven vitiligo were taken. The destruction of melanocytes was confirmed by Haematoxylin & Eosin (H & E) and by histochemical stains using Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid (DOPA) reaction. Blood sample from these vitiligo patients and 10 control subjects was taken. Flow Cytometry was used for the determination of CD8+ and CD4+ counts in the vitiligo patients and control subjects. Then CD4+: CD8+ ratio was calculated and comparison between vitiligo patients and control subjects was done. T-test was used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was statistically significant decrease in CD4+: CD8+ ratio. CD4+: CD8+ ratio was decreased in 57.5% cases of vitiligo with increase in CD8+ counts and decreased CD4+ counts. CONCLUSION: It was concluded from this study that cellular immunity might have a role to play in the pathogenesis of vitiligo causing the destruction of melanocytes.
INTRODUCTION:Vitiligo is an acquired cutaneous disorder characterized by progressive and selective destruction of melanocytes from the epidermis. Autoimmunity is strongly implicated in its pathogenesis. The destruction of melanocytes has a correlation with the peripheral blood lymphocyte imbalance mainly including Cytotoxic T cells (CD8+cells) and Helper T cells (CD4+cells). The progression of vitiligo is associated with higher CD8+ counts and lower CD4+ counts thus, altering CD4+: CD8+ ratio. AIM: To evaluate the clinically suspected cases of vitiligo histopathologically and histochemically and to establish the co-relation of autoimmunity with the flow cytometric analysis of CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocyte counts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 40 patients with proven vitiligo were taken. The destruction of melanocytes was confirmed by Haematoxylin & Eosin (H & E) and by histochemical stains using Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid (DOPA) reaction. Blood sample from these vitiligopatients and 10 control subjects was taken. Flow Cytometry was used for the determination of CD8+ and CD4+ counts in the vitiligopatients and control subjects. Then CD4+: CD8+ ratio was calculated and comparison between vitiligopatients and control subjects was done. T-test was used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: There was statistically significant decrease in CD4+: CD8+ ratio. CD4+: CD8+ ratio was decreased in 57.5% cases of vitiligo with increase in CD8+ counts and decreased CD4+ counts. CONCLUSION: It was concluded from this study that cellular immunity might have a role to play in the pathogenesis of vitiligo causing the destruction of melanocytes.
Authors: Anna Wańkowicz-Kalińska; René M J G J van den Wijngaard; Bert J Tigges; Wiete Westerhof; Graham S Ogg; Vincenzo Cerundolo; Walter J Storkus; Pranab K Das Journal: Lab Invest Date: 2003-05 Impact factor: 5.662