[Immunological changes in common vitiligo]

Three theories have been mentioned so as to explain vitiligo: normal, autocytotoxic and autoimmune. In this work we study the cellular immune elements in normal vitiligo. Concerning the skin, there is an increase of Langerhans cells (p less than 0.001) en its activation (DR+) (p less than 0.001). Regarding the blood, there is an increase of T cytotoxic lymphocytes (p less than 0.001), T activated lymphocytes (DR+) (p less than 0.001) and B lymphocytes (p less than 0.01). Total T lymphocytes and T cooperators (CD4+) are not increased. These results suggest that immune mechanisms mediated by T cytotoxic lymphocytes may be the cause of the melanocytes destruction in normal vitiligo.