What Role do Immune Factors Play in the Course of Vitiligo

As immunological research continues to advance, a subtle relationship between vitiligo and immune function has eventually been discovered. Researchers have examined histological sections a type of vitiligo with raised white patch boundaries, the margin of progressive stage white patches, and halo nevi. And found infiltration of lymphocytes or monocytes, both of which are associated with immune function.

When the blood of vitiligo patients is tested, it was found they contain anti-melanocyte antibodies with other alterations in immunological indicators. The probability of vitiligo patients with autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, and autoimmune thyroiditis, and the probability of patients who have autoimmune diseases with vitiligo, are both higher than normal people.

In addition, vitiligo patients could experience an isomorphic response. It is now believed that the isomorphic response may be an autoimmune phenomenon. The immune indicators of abnormal blood will improve or return to normal with the improvement and disappearance of the white patches.

Vitiligo patients are often accompanied by two major immune dysfunctions:

The first is the humoral immune changes. According to the relevant articles, anti-parietal cell antibodies, anti-smooth muscle antibodies, and sometimes anti-melanocyte antibodies can be checked in the blood of vitiligo patients.

Second, cellular immune changes. In the transformation test and naturalized patches formation test on the lymphocytes of vitiligo patients, the results show abnormal changes in T lymphocytes and their subpopulations, and these changes suggest the existence of cellular immune abnormalities in vitiligo patients.