Autologous cultured melanocytes in vitiligo treatment.

Background: Surgical treatment of vitiligo is indicated when lesions are localized in poorly responding areas.
Objectives: The objectives were: (1) to establish the melanocyte culture obtained from the epidermis of vitiligo patients for future treatment; (2) to estimate the influence of selected factors on the formation of suction blisters and the results of culture; and (3) to compare the results of treatment of vitiliginous macules localized in the dorsum of the hands and lower limbs by transplantation of cultured autologous melanocytes plus psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy (CMP), suction blister transplantation plus PUVA therapy (SBP), cryotherapy plus PUVA-therapy (CP), and only PUVA therapy (OP).
Methods: Forty patients were qualified for the study. The roofs of the suction blisters were used as a melanocyte source for culture establishment or were directly transplanted.
Results: The CMP procedure was successfully performed on only 10 of 20 patients because of the difficulties in cell culture establishment. The SBP method was carried out on all 20 patients. A total lack of effectiveness was found in CP and OP methods.
Conclusions: The effectiveness of culture depends on time of suction blister forming, phototype, and previous PUVA therapy. This study demonstrated the advantage of the SBP over the CMP method.