Background: Patients with vitiligo have a markedly increased incidence of antibodies to melanocytes, referred to as vitiligo antibodies. Antibodies to tyrosinase have been reported in some patients with vitiligo, suggesting that vitiligo antibodies may be directed to this enzyme. However, there is considerable controversy as to the frequency with which these antibodies occur, and, hence, about their relevance to the pathogenesis of vitiligo. The frequency with which antityrosinase antibodies occur in vitiligo is critical to evaluate their potential role in the pathogenesis of this disease.Objective: To examine the prevalence of antibodies to tyrosinase in a large group of patients with vitiligo. Design:We examined the incidence of antibodies to enzymatically and immunologically active tyrosinase in patients with and without vitiligo.Setting: Outpatient clinic in referral center. Patients:The study was conducted on serum samples obtained from 54 patients with active (n = 40) and inac-tive (n = 14) uncomplicated vitiligo and from 52 age-and sex-matched individuals without vitiligo.Main Outcome Measure: Presence in the serum of antibodies to enzymatically and/or immunologically active tyrosinase.Results: By immunoblotting, 20 patients (50%) with active vitiligo, 9 of those (64.3%) with inactive vitiligo, and 29 control individuals (55.8%) had antibodies to an antigen that comigrated with tyrosinase. However, by immunoprecipitation DOPA stain and by sandwich enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, none of the vitiligo or control individuals had antibodies to tyrosinase, even though both assays easily detected control antityrosinase antibodies. Conclusion:These results indicate that while antibodies to an antigen(s) that comigrates with tyrosinase are common in patients with or without vitiligo, vitiligo antibodies are not directed to tyrosinase.
Sinclair swine provide a unique model for studying mechanisms of tumor regression because they are born with melanomas that spontaneously regress approximately 10 weeks after birth. To examine whether an antitumor immune response is present in these animals, and, if so, to study its relation to tumor regression, 38 sera specimens collected at different times from 13 swine born with melanomas were tested for melanoma antibodies by immunoprecipitation and SDS-PAGE analysis of 125I labelled swine melanoma macromolecules. Antibodies to melanoma were present in 13 (100%) of the swine versus 1 of 3 control swine. The antibodies were directed to antigens of approximately 45, 68-75, or 100 kDa. These antigens were also expressed on human melanomas and normal melanocytes but on only one of five unrelated tumors. The incidence and level of these antibodies increased with time. Antibodies to the 45, 68-75, and 100 kDa antigens were present in 36%, 55%, and 9%, respectively, of sera collected prior to 7 weeks of age, but in 80%, 100%, and 37% of sera collected between 7 and 20 weeks (P < 0.05). The rise in melanoma antibodies usually preceded or appeared together with tumor regression and loss of pigmentation. These findings indicate that Sinclair swine with melanomas have antibodies to antigens preferentially expressed on pigment cells, and support the hypothesis that the regression phenomenon and the vitiligo-like skin depigmentation result from immune responses to common antigens shared by normal and malignant swine pigment cells.
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