Ann Dermatol.  1994 Jan;6(1):31-36. 10.5021/ad.1994.6.1.31.

Immunolocalization of Desmoglein in Autoimmune Pemphigus

• Ro YS
• Lee CW
• Angus B

• KMID: 2361477
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.1994.6.1.31

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Pemphigus foliaceus(PF) and pemphigus vulgaris(PV) have different target antigens which belong to the desmoglein(DG) subfamily of the desmosomal cadherins; DG in the case of PF and PV antigen(PVA) in the case of PV.
OBJECTIVE
Because DG is also a normal major component of the intercellular adhesive core, we investigated the immunohistochemical distribution of DG in PF to compare and contrast the findings with those of PV.
METHODS
Immunohistochemical analysis using streptavidin-biotin complex method with anti-DG monoclonal antibody was done in six cases of PF and six cases of PV, as well as two samples of normal skin as control.
RESULTS
Both disorders showed abnormal intense diffuse cytoplasmic staining patterns in the lesional skin. Contrary to PF, showing complete loss of normal, rim-like, membranous staining, two of six cases of PV showed the relatively well preserved normal staining pat-terns in the upper epidermis.
CONCLUSION
The differences in the expression of DG in the lesional skins between PF and PV suggest that PVA is distinct from DG, although an overlapping of antigens between PF and PV could exist.

Keyword

Desmoglein; Pemphigus foliaceus; Pemphigus vulgaris; Pemphigus vulgaris antigen

MeSH Terms

Adhesives
Cytoplasm
Desmogleins*
Desmosomal Cadherins
Epidermis
Methods
Pemphigus*
Skin
Adhesives
Desmogleins
Desmosomal Cadherins