Bystryn J C, Pfeffer S
Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016.
Prog Clin Biol Res. 1988;256:195-206.
The cause of vitiligo is not known. It is reasonable to suspect that immune mechanisms are involved because some cell surface antigens are selectively expressed on pigmented cells, the immune system has the ability to respond to these antigens, but seems to do so most in persons or animals who have vitiligo. It is not known whether the specific immune abnormalities seen in vitiligo are a cause or a result of the disease, nor whether they damage melanocytes, simply aggravate melanocyte injury initiated by other causes, or are interesting but irrelevant epiphenomena.
白癜风的病因尚不清楚。怀疑免疫机制参与其中是合理的，因为一些细胞表面抗原在色素细胞上选择性表达，免疫系统有能力对这些抗原作出反应，但似乎在患有白癜风的人或动物中反应最为强烈。目前尚不清楚白癜风中所见的特异性免疫异常是该病的原因还是结果，也不清楚它们是损害黑素细胞、只是加重由其他原因引发的黑素细胞损伤，还是有趣但不相关的附带现象。
