Vitiligo: peripheral T‐cell subset imbalance as defined by monoclonal antibodies

The cause of vitiligo is unknown and several hypotheses have been proposed (for review see Ortonne, Mosher & Fitzpatrick, 1983). Among them autoimmunity is generally favoured. This immune hypothesis has been recently strengthened by the observation of autoantibodies to normal melanocytes in the sera of most patients with active vitiligo (Naughton, Eisinger & Bystryn, 1983). We present here additional evidence in favour of an autoimmune aetiology of vitiligo. Thirty-two patients studied with monoclonal antibodies (MCA) directed against lymphocyte subpopulations presented an increased T4/T8 ratio with elevated T4, an imbalance commonly found in autoimmune diseases.