title: Enhanced association of plasminogen/plasmin with lesional epidermis of bullous pemphigoid.
abstract: The distribution of plasminogen/plasmin, the central proteolytic component of the plasminogen activator/plasmin system was analysed in lesional skin of bullous pemphigoid by using monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for distinct epitopes of the plasminogen/plasmin molecule. Four groups of MAbs were used: (i) MAbs HD-PG 1 and HD-PG 2, specific for epitopes associated with the lysine-binding sites I (kringle domain 1 + 2 + 3) and II (kringle domain 4) of plasminogen/plasmin, (ii) MAbs HD-PG 6 and HD-PG 7, specific for the lysine binding site I only, (iii) MAbs HD-PG 12 (formerly designated P 2) and HD-PG 18, specific for non-kringle domains of glu- and lys-plasminogen, and (iv) MAb HD-PG 13 which recognizes glu-plasminogen, only. The basal cell layers of normal skin consistently reacted with MAb HD-PG 12, whereas only faint staining was seen with the other MAbs in the same biopsies. In contrast, all anti-plasminogen/plasmin MAbs strongly stained lower and intermediate epidermal cell layers of fully developed bullous pemphigoid lesions.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Immunologie und Serologie, Immunpathologie, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gissler
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005260:Female; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010958:Plasminogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D010958:Plasminogen; D005341:Fibrinolysin