title: Laugier-Hunziker syndrome: a clinical, histopathologic, and ultrastructural study of four cases and review of the literature.
abstract: Four cases of Laugier-Hunziker syndrome are described. In all patients (two men and two women between 39 and 57 years of age) pigmentation of the lower lip and hard palate was found. in addition, two patients had involvement of the buccal mucosa; another patient also had pigmentation of the upper lip, the gums, the soft palate, and the fingers of both hands. Histopathologic examination demonstrated an accumulation of melanin in the basal layer keratinocytes and an increase in the number of melanophages in the papillary dermis. Ultrastructural study showed the presence of numerous mature melanosomes in the cytoplasm of the keratinocytes of the basal layer and of the melanophages in the papillary dermis. Alterations of the melanocytes were not observed.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Dermatology, University of Milan, IRCCS, Ospedale Maggiore, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veraldi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cavicchini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D010159:Palate; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins