Clinical, pathological, and etiologic aspects of acquired dermal melanocytosis.
To study the pathogenesis of acquired dermal melanocytosis (ADM), we reviewed the clinical, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural features of 34 cases (female, 33, and male, 1) of ADM. The patients' ages at onset ranged from 8 to 51 years and averaged 26.8 +/- 12.7 years. There was a positive family history. Gray-brown macules were mostly recognized on the face. Not only active dermal melanocytes but also non-pigmented c-KIT- and TRP-2-positive immature melanocytes were detected in the dermis. Taken together those clinical and histological findings, activation of pre-existing immature melanocytes by sunlight, estrogen, and/or progesterone, and some other factors, may be the most likely mode of the development of ADM. Moreover, using cultured murine neural crest cells as a model of c-KIT-positive immature melanocytes, we confirmed that endothelin-1, which is produced and secreted by keratinocytes after UV-irradiation, affects melanocytes and accelerated melanogenesis.
Mizoguchi
M
M
Department of Dermatology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
Murakami
F
F
Ito
M
M
Asano
M
M
Baba
T
T
Kawa
Y
Y
Kubota
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000032:analysis; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000032:analysis; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008548:Melanosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects
D015415:Biomarkers; D019332:Endothelin-1; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C042501:dopachrome isomerase