Decreased total numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes with elevated percentages of CD4+CD45RO+ and CD4+CD25+ of T-helper cells in non-segmental vitiligo.

Vitiligo is a disorder involving progressive skin depigmentation caused by host mediated destruction of melanocytes. Its pathogenesis is known to correlate with elevated levels of activated skin-infiltrating T lymphocytes and is presumed to be autoimmune in nature. In the present study, we characterize the immunophenotype of peripheral blood T cells from vitiligo patients, with the objective of developing an investigative and diagnostic tool for the disease, using analysis of peripheral blood.