Epidermal keratinocytes of bullous pemphigoid express intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1).
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is the ligand for lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), mediating the adhesion of lymphocytes to vascular endothelium. Keratinocytes are known to express ICAM-1 in some inflammatory dermatoses. Using an indirect immunofluorescence method, we examined the patterns of ICAM-1 and LFA-1 staining in bullous pemphigoid (BP) lesions and compared them to pemphigus vulgaris (PV) cases. ICAM-1 was expressed on the cell surface and in the cytoplasm of epidermal keratinocytes at the sites of erythematous and bullous lesions of BP. LFA-1 molecules were expressed on T cells at the basement membrane zone. In addition, HLA-DR-positive keratinocytes were observed in the basal layer. ICAM-1 was not, however, expressed on epidermal keratinocytes in uninvolved skin from BP patients, PV or normal control skin. It is known that ICAM-1 is expressed on keratinocytes at the site of lymphoid infiltration in cutaneous dermatoses and that LFA-1-positive T cells can bind to interferon gamma-induced ICAM-1-positive keratinocytes. Our results suggest that cellular immunity involving ICAM-1 and LFA-1 may play a part in the pathogenesis of bullous pemphigoid.
Karashima
T
T
Department of Dermatology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Hachisuka
H
H
Okubo
K
K
Sasai
Y
Y
D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016169:Lymphocyte Function-Associated Antigen-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1