title: Nonsegmental vitiligo and autoimmune mechanism.
abstract: Nonsegmental vitiligo is a depigmented skin disorder showing acquired, progressive, and depigmented lesions of the skin, mucosa, and hair. It is believed to be caused mainly by the autoimmune loss of melanocytes from the involved areas. It is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases, particularly autoimmune thyroid diseases including Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, pernicious anemia, systemic lupus erythematosus, Addison's disease, and alopecia areata. This indicates the presence of genetically determined susceptibility to not only vitiligo but also to other autoimmune disorders. Here, we summarize current understanding of autoimmune pathogenesis in non-segmental vitiligo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka 589-8511, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oiso
authors.forename: Tamio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukai
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawada