Abstract: Objective To investigate melanocyte membrane antigen associated with vitiligo,for further purification and cloning.Methods Sera from patients with vitiligo were screened by using a live cell enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay,98 strongly positive sera were obtrained.Melanocyte antigens were immunoblotted after splitting of cultured normal human melanocytes.Thirty strong positive vitiligo sera were detected.Results There were positive bands in all screened sera as shown by immunoblotting.Whereas,positive band was seen in only one normal human sera.The antibody bound many antigens with different molecular weights(150kd,90kd,75kd,50kd,40~45kd).Positive rates for individual antigens were 70%,60%,83%,16% and 23%,respectively.Conclusions Antibody directed to melanocyte membrane antigens of melanocytes are present in the sera of patients with vitiligo.The molecular weights of the antigens are mainly 150kd,90kd and 75kd,the antigens with small molecules discovered previously maybe the degradation products of big molecules.

Key words: Vitiligo, Melanocytes, Antigens, surface