Gingival hyperpigmentation is seen as a genetic trait in some populations and is more appropriately termed physiologic or racial gingival pigmentation; a benign condition, which affects all races. Gingival depigmentation is most often performed as a „patient demanded‟ periodontal plastic surgical procedure; wherein scalpel, laser, electrosurgery, cryosurgery, diamond bur or chemical agents are ...

Purpose: This article identifies the advantage and disadvantage of a free nipple areola complex graft (FNACG) for nipple malposition which resulted from tissue-expander insertion and subsequently replaced with an implant after nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM). Methods: The subjects were three such patients treated using FNACG and who were followed up for at least one year postoperatively. The su...

Antroquinonol was investigated as antioxidant and inhibition of inflammatory responses. Our study was to evaluate its immunosuppressive effect on CD8+ T cells and protective effect on depigmentation. CD8+ T cells were treated with antroquinonol in vitro, and C57BL/6 mice were treated with antroquinonol with or without H2O2in vivo for 50 consecutive days. We found antroquinonol could inhibit pro...

A 25-year-old Caucasian female with multiple genital warts involving the vulvar area was treated with imiquimod 5% cream. During follow-up the patient developed areas of hypopigmentation at the site of application of imiquimod cream and areas of hypomelanosis around multiple preexisting nevi of the trunk. At 18 months follow-up genital depigmentation persisted and halo nevi of the trunk were st...

Tyrosinase-related proteins-1 and -2 (gp75/TRP-1 and TRP-2) are melanosomal membrane glycoproteins recognized by antibodies and T-cells from patients with melanoma. Xenogeneic DNA immunization against gp75/TRP-1 generates antibody-dependent tumor immunity and autoimmune depigmentation. In contrast xenogeneic TRP-2 DNA immunization induces immunity mediated by CD8+ T-cells. The role of IFN-gamma...

Introduction:Currentmethods for gingival depigmentation, includingmechanical surgery, cryosurgery, laser treatments, and radiosurgery, create significant patient discomfort and risk of complications, thereby reducing attractiveness of the depigmentation procedure for many patients. To our knowledge, this case report presents a first-time application of a new technology, laser-patterned microcoa...

T-cell cytolytic activity targeting epidermal melanocytes is shown to cause progressive depigmentation and autoimmune vitiligo. By using the recently developed transgenic mice h3TA2 that carry T cells with a HLA-A2-restricted human tyrosinase peptide (h-Tyr)-reactive TCR and develop spontaneous vitiligo from an early age, we addressed the mechanism regulating autoimmune vitiligo. Depigmentation...

It is still unknown why dermal melanophores disappear during larval development, and why no or very few epidermal melanophores appear during and after metamorphosis, in Xenopus laevis showing periodic albinism (ap). To elucidate these points, we investigated the occurrence of depigmentation in mutant (ap/ap) melanophores during in vitro proliferation and the incidence of melanophore differentia...