ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the serum levels of melanocyte antibodies and explore the relation between melanoma antigen recognized by T-cells (MART-1) and vitiligo in children.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The serum samples were collected from children with vitiligo to test the autoantibodies, and divided into low- and high-titer group according to the test results. Melanocytes were incubated with the serum samples, and the changes of melanocyte surface antigen were evaluated using specific MART-1 antibody.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum melanocyte antibody levels in children with vitiligo were significantly higher than those in normal subjects. The expression level of melanocyte surface antigen MART-1 increased obviously after incubation of the melanocyte with high antibody titer serum samples, and MART-1 was found to specifically bind to specific MART-1 antibody.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Melanocytes MART-1 may correlate to the autoimmune mechanism in children with vitiligo.</p>