Immunopathology of vitiligo vulgaris, Sutton's leukoderma and melanoma-associated vitiligo in relation to steroid effects. II. The IgG and C3 deposits in the skin.

Microsome, thyroid and DNA tests on patients with generalized vitiligo vulgaris, with or without Sutton's leukoderma, show a high positive rate without thyroid diseases. A small, but not negligible, amount of IgG and C3 deposits in the basement-membrane zone and keratinocytes, has been frequently seen in these diseases by immunohistology and immuno-electron microscopy. This evidence strongly suggests an autoimmune character for these diseases.