Immunopolarization of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells to type-1-like is associated with melanocyte loss in human vitiligo

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

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196 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition characterized by loss of epidermal melanocytes. High frequencies of melanocyte-reactive cytotoxic T cells in the peripheral blood of vitiligo patients and the observed correlation between perilesional T-cell infiltration and melanocyte loss in situ suggest the important role of cellular autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of this disease. We isolated T cells from both perilesional and nonlesional skin biopsies obtained from five vitiligo patients, then cloned and analyzed their profile of cytokine production after short-term, nonspecific expansion in vitro. Perilesional T-cell clones (TCC) derived from patients with vitiligo exhibited a predominant Type-l-like cytokine secretion profile, whereas the degree of Type-1 polarization in uninvolved skin-derived TCC correlated with the process of microscopically observed melanocyte destruction in situ. Detailed analysis of broad spectrum of cytokines produced by perilesional- and nonlesional-derived CD4(+) and CD8(+) TCC confirmed polarization toward Type-1-like in both CD4 and CD8 compartments, which paralleled depigmentation process observed locally in the skin. Furthermore, CD8+ TCC derived from two patients also were analyzed for reactivity against autologous melanocytes. The antimelanocyte cytotoxic reactivity was observed among CD8(+) TCC isolated from perilesional biopsies of two patients with vitiligo. Finally, in two of five patients, tetramer analysis revealed presence of high frequencies of Mart-1-specific CD8 T cells in T-cell lines derived from perilesional skin. Altogether our data support the role of cellular mechanisms playing a significant part in the destruction of melanocytes; in human autoimmune vitiligo
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)683-695
JournalLaboratory investigation; a journal of technical methods and pathology
Volume83
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2003

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