Possible involvement of the dermis in the pathogenesis of vitiligo (For Professionals)

• Vitiligo is characterized by the functional loss of melanocytes which induces the well delineated depigmented characteristic lesions.
• Anomalies have been detected in:
  • melanocytes (mitochondria…)
  • keratinocytes (altered oxydation status in the mitochondria, vaculolization…)
  • dermis (high level of tenascin expression which explains defective adhesion of the melanocytes)

• The authors have found similar defects in fibroblast cells in the dermis when compared to normal fibroblasts:
  • altered membrane lipid (mainly cholesterol and cardiolipin) probably secondary to:
  • reactive oxygen species (ROS) hyperproduction.
  • deregulation of lipid-mediated intracellular signalling:
    • ERK and JNK phosphorylation
    • altered p38

Conclusion: normalization of fibroblast membrane structure could be crucial to improving vitiligo

Contributors:

Dr Christophe HSU – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland
Source of Information: Possible dermal involvement in vitiligo pathogenesis. M Dell’Anna, D Kovacs, M Ottaviani, E Bastonini and M Picardo Lab Cutaneous Physiopathology & CIRM, San Gallicano Dermatologic Institute, Rome, Italy.  International Investigative Dermatology (IID) 2013 – Edinburgh, United Kingdom (UK).