Experimental autoimmune vitiligo was induced by the intradermal injection of the purified mushroom tyrosinase emulsified in Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) in female C57BL/6 mice. The onset of vitiligo was characterized by hair hypopigmentation and total melanocyte depletion in the basal layer of the epidermis. Oral administration of semipurified mushroom tyrosinase prevented experimental autoimmune vitiligo (EAV). Suppression of clinical and histological disease was observed when animals received mushroom tyrosinase. A decrease in lymphocyte proliferation, delayed type hypersensitivity responses, increase in humoral immunity of the mice may all suggest that the suppression of the disease is correlated with cellular immune responses suppression. Based on our data, it may be concluded that the oral administration of the mushroom tyrosinase may have practical implications in vitiligo.

Keywords: Mushroom tyrosinase, Experimental autoimmune vitiligo, Oral tolerance

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