title: Halo giant congenital melanocytic nevus: in vitro immunologic studies.
abstract: We have assessed in vitro humoral and cell-mediated immune reactions of a patient with a giant congenital melanocytic nevus that showed clinical and histologic evidence of spontaneous regression. Nevus cell-specific antibody was detected in the patient's serum, which was cytotoxic to epidermal cells isolated from the pigmented nevus and specifically to cells of a human melanoma line in a complement-dependent fashion. The presence of epidermal Langerhans cells, known to be antigen-presenting cells, was required for nevus cell-specific activation of the patient's T lymphocytes. Antibody-independent inhibition of melanoma cell growth was detected by the use of the patient's mononuclear cells. Therefore both humoral and cell-mediated immunity may be involved in nevus cell rejection and halo formation.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Martinez, CA 94553.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shaieb
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: France
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Altchek
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology*; D012397:Rosette Formation
chemical_list: D003176:Complement C3; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007074:Immunoglobulin G