EDIP - melanoma / vitilligo

Experimental dermato immuno pathology

Melanoma / Vitiligo

Pigment Cell disorders

Another ongoing research has been to study autoimmune vitiligo and melanoma immunity for developing immunotherapy. The results to date demonstrate that the polarization of melanocyte specific CD4+/CD8+ T-cells to Type-1 type of cytokine profile are responsible for the development of depigmentation in vitiligo. Further, we have identified several candidate co-stimulatory/activation cell surface markers and signal transducing molecules( e.g. NO /cGMP) that are involved in exacerbation and remission of vitiligo lesions and melanoma metastasis. Based on such translational type of research strategy a collaborative study on the modulation of T cell receptor (TCR) and activation of dendritic cell (DC) in both vitiligo and melanoma have been undertaken , which will be a principal research line in future. In this egard, it of of interest to note that the TCRs of the T cell clones generated from the perilesional vitiliginous skin appear to be of high affinity as compared t those generated fro melanoma infiltrating T cells, the latter being of lower affinity. Further, in regards to both vitiligo and melanomas several novel genes and proteins have been identified which are found useful for as diagnostics to recognize early transformation of melanocytes to malignancy and metastasis as well as related to the viability of melanocytes to oxidative stress. Since melanocytic cells are closely related to neuronal cells, we use such approach for identifying novel genes in collaboration with the neuropathology/neurosurgery group and identified genes responsible for recognising the early transformation of astrocytes and of differing grades of glyomas (see relevant section).Some of these molecular studies await implementation in diagnosis. This part of the studies generated several publications and will generate at least three Ph.D. theses in near future (during 2005-2006).

Future plans

Our research is supported by:

Self-generated fund of dermato-immuno-pathology

And outsourcing coo-operations with:

Dept. biochemistry, University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Europeans Space Research Centre, Koeln, Germany

University of Pittsburg, USA

Lyola University Cancer Center, Maywood, USA

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Research topics
Leprosy / Leishmania
Melanoma / Vitiligo
Psoriasis
Contact sensitizers
Reseach group
Publications
TIRC - Tissue Immune Reactivity Club

page with links

www.cancerimmunotherapy.net

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