Journal of Clinical & Experimental Dermatology Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9554
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2155-9554
+44 1478 350008
Pranab Kumar Das
University of Birmingham, UK
University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Clin Exp Dermatol Res
Vitiligo is characterized by complete loss of UV protective pigment producing cells melanocytes. Due to the appearance of white depigmented patches causing ugly look, the disease, though not life threatening, could be psychologically debilitating despite the demonstration of the presence of mild inflammatory infiltrate in the skin paralleling the loss of melanocytes, vitiligo is not an inflammatory dermatoses. Interestingly, however, the disease is often associated with the presence of classical autoimmune diseases in the same patient. Various theories on the etiology of vitiligo are discussed among the experts. Since last decade the autoimmune mechanism is being subscribed by the investigators. Indeed, our own work demonstrated that the loss of melanocytes in some vitiligo patients is caused most likely by melanocyte specific autoreactive T cells and in addition, in some patients auto-antibodies against melanocytes can also be demonstrated. Nevertheless, vitiligo as such is not always perceived as one of the classical autoimmune diseases. However, studying vitiligo as a model autoimmune disease has opened up to develop novel therapeutics for melanoma. Various investigators had been investing much effort during last decade in designing targeted therapeutics with debatable success. This presentation would attempt to summarize and discuss some of the results in literature, including our own and those of the collaborators to have fresher look in this respect.
Pranab Kumar Das has received his PhD degree in Biochemistry from London University in 1969 and gained extensive research and teaching experiences in different countries globally and finally settled down in Immunological Research in Netherlands covering diverse field with a focus on the inflammation and immunity. One of his main interests had been skin diseases such as leprosy and idiopathic diseases like vitiligo and psoriasis and skin cancer. He has developed a strong interest in correlating tissue reactivity and systemic immunity of hosts. He has published more than 230 articles in peer viewed journals and book chapters in diverse field of life/medical sciences. He was retired in 2006 but still active in Honorary capacity.
Email: p.k.das@bham.ac.uk