title: Possible patterns of epidermal melanocyte disappearance in nonsegmental vitiligo: a clinicopathological study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The depigmentation of vitiligo results in a progressive and chronic melanocyte loss with rare melanocytes occasionally remaining in the epidermis or the hair follicle reservoirs. Destruction by immune infiltrates in close contact with melanocytes within microvesicles and/or detachment of melanocytes followed by their transepidermal elimination should be regarded as possible mechanisms of chronic loss of pigment cells.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the frequency of these two histological findings and to establish a direct correlation with clinical features.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective observational study that took place over 1 year. Each patient received a standardized evaluation that included daylight and Wood's lamp examinations, pictures, biopsies performed on the marginal area, and histological and immunohistological studies. A second examination to assess the activity of the lesions was performed 1 year after inclusion in the study. Clinical changes associated with microvesicles were compared with those associated with detached melanocytes from the basal layer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study included 50 patients. The histological findings were classified as inflammatory with isolated microvesicles (29 cases), noninflammatory with only detached melanocytes from the basal layer (12 cases) and a combination of coexisting microvesicles and detached melanocytes (six cases). Correlations were obtained between the histological findings and clinical features (aspect and activity of the lesions) and E-cadherin expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest the existence of two patterns of melanocyte disappearance in nonsegmental vitiligo.
authors.affiliation: UFR of Dermatology, Mohammed V Souissi University Rabat, Rabat, 10100, Morocco; Department of Dermatology, Ibn Sina University Hospital, Rabat, Morocco.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benzekri
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hmamouchi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gauthier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D004817:Epidermis / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers