摘要
Although perifollicular repigmentation in the vitiligo lesions is owing to activation of follicular melanocyte stem cells and/or precursor cells followed by supplying matured melanocytes, the underlying mechanism of diffuse repigmentation on the whole vitiligo surface remains still unknown. In addition to the presence of remaining melanocytes, it is conceivable that dermal melanocyte precursor cells contribute to induce diffuse repigmentation after treatment. Therefore, we investigated here whether dermal and follicular melanocyte precursor cells were reduced or not in vitiligo lesions. We performed an immunostaining for Nestin and p75NGFR as dermal melanocyte precursor cells and MITF/Fzd4 as follicular melanocyte precursor cells and compared the positive cells number between lesions and non-lesions (n = 11). Although MITF<sup>+</sup>/Fzd4<sup>+</sup> cells in the hair follicle were significantly decreased in number in the lesions, Nestin<sup>+</sup> and p75NGFR<sup>+</sup> cells were not. This result indicates that dermal precursor cells could be retained in the vitiligo lesions but be disturbed to differentiate into matured melanocytes.
Although perifollicular repigmentation in the vitiligo lesions is owing to activation of follicular melanocyte stem cells and/or precursor cells followed by supplying matured melanocytes, the underlying mechanism of diffuse repigmentation on the whole vitiligo surface remains still unknown. In addition to the presence of remaining melanocytes, it is conceivable that dermal melanocyte precursor cells contribute to induce diffuse repigmentation after treatment. Therefore, we investigated here whether dermal and follicular melanocyte precursor cells were reduced or not in vitiligo lesions. We performed an immunostaining for Nestin and p75NGFR as dermal melanocyte precursor cells and MITF/Fzd4 as follicular melanocyte precursor cells and compared the positive cells number between lesions and non-lesions (n = 11). Although MITF<sup>+</sup>/Fzd4<sup>+</sup> cells in the hair follicle were significantly decreased in number in the lesions, Nestin<sup>+</sup> and p75NGFR<sup>+</sup> cells were not. This result indicates that dermal precursor cells could be retained in the vitiligo lesions but be disturbed to differentiate into matured melanocytes.
作者
Atsushi Tanemura
Ryoko Kawabe
Yuka Sudo
Kazunori Yokoi
Takanobu Kabasawa
Mitsuru Futakuchi
Tamio Suzuki
Manabu Fujimoto
Atsushi Tanemura;Ryoko Kawabe;Yuka Sudo;Kazunori Yokoi;Takanobu Kabasawa;Mitsuru Futakuchi;Tamio Suzuki;Manabu Fujimoto(Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Osaka University, Graduate Suita, Osaka, Japan;Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan;Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Yamagata University, Yamagata, Japan)
