Immucohistochemical of White Hair in Alopecia Areata / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There had been some reports of resistant white hair remaining in the alopecic patch area or regenerating white hair prior to emergence of black hair on the patients with alopecia areata. But relatively few studies pointed out this subject yet. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the histopathologic property of white and marginal hair follicles in alopecia areata patients using immunohistochemical markers. METHODS: Eight patients with alopecia areata who had white hair on his scalp were selected, then obtained biopsy samples from white hair follicles, and marginal black hair follicles respectively. Immunohistochemical staining had been done with CD4, CD8, Mel-5, c-kit antibodies on both groups. Then, two different observers counted perifollicular infiltrated cells and the data scored with SAS program for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results were as follows 1. Decreased ratio of CD4 lymphocyte to CDS lymphocytes were observed on the white hair area (CD4: CD8=1.85: 1, 53.85%) (CD4: CD8=1.16: 1, 85.71%) but statistically not significant differences were seen and the ratio between them proved to be in the regeneration stage alopecia areata. 2. Significantly lower levels(P<0.05) of Mel-5/c-kit positive ratio of melanocyte observed on white hair area(c-kit: Mel-5 = 3.84: 1, 26.01%) compared with marginal hair area(c-kit: Mel-5 = 1.74: 1, 57.33%), furthermore decreased ratio of Mel-5(+) cells(black: white = 2.17: 1, 46.14%), but increased ratio of c-kit (+) cells(black: white = 1: 1, 99.16%) were observed on the white hair area: more Mel-5(-), c-kit(+) cells(precursor melanocyte) were observed on the outer root sheath of white hair area. CONCLUSION: Consequently, we propose that the regenerating white hair area contained much more precursor type melanocytes and it is related to the whitish nature of regenerating hair.