Aberrant Notch signaling: a potential pathomechanism of vitiligo.
Vitiligo is characterized by a localized and progressive loss of melanocytes which are pigment cells responsible for the pigmentation of human. The etiopathogenetic mechanisms leading to melanocytes loss in vitiligo lesions are not yet fully understood and no effective treatment or cure exists. Notch signaling has been shown to control many cellular functions of melanocytes. Activation of Notch signaling occurs during the formation of melanocytic tumors and inactivation of Notch signaling causes a dramatic elimination of melanocytes precursors. So we postulate that inactivation of Notch signaling in the melanocytes may be a potential pathomechanism of vitiligo. If the hypothesis was proved to be practical, we could provide new understanding of the etiology of vitiligo and produce new therapeutic avenues.
Diao
Jian-Sheng
JS
Institute of Plastic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, No. 17 Changle Western Road, Xi'an 710032, PR China.
Zhang
Xi
X
Xia
Wen-Sen
WS
Zheng
Yan
Y
Ren
Jing
J
Wang
Ying-Mei
YM
Gong
Zhao
Z
Xia
Wei
W
Guo
Shu-Zhong
SZ
D006801:Humans; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control
D051880:Receptors, Notch