Treatment of refractory and stable vitiligo by transplantation of in vitro cultured epidermal autografts bearing melanocytes.

Abstract

Previous reports demonstrated the usefulness of in vitro cultured epidermis for repigmenting vitiligo. Our purpose was to determine the potential of in vitro cultured epidermal sheets to treat extensive areas of intractable vitiligo. In nine patients with long-standing, stable, and refractory vitiligo, autologous epidermis was cultured in vitro in H-MEM but without growth enhancers or hormones and transplanted onto previously denuded achromic lesions. Repigmentation was achieved to almost 100% in three subjects, 60% improvement was seen in two patients, and 30% to 40% in three additional cases. Only one patient had almost no response. Long-term observations in these patients indicate that repigmentation obtained by this method is permanent. Transplantation of in vitro cultured epidermis bearing melanocytes is potentially effective to treat extensive areas of vitiligo, but this method is presently at an experimental stage.