Ultrastructural binding site of pemphigus foliaceus autoantibodies: comparison with pemphigus vulgaris.
We studied in vivo binding sites of pemphigus foliaceus (PF) autoantibodies by immuno-gold labelling technique, and compared them with those of pemphigus vulgaris (PV). In early acantholytic lesions of PF, the bound antibodies indicated by 5 nm protein A-colloidal gold particles were observed on the surface of keratinocytes, with particular affinity for desmosomes and separated attachment plaques. Nondesmosomal cell surfaces were sparsely labeled with the gold particles. A similar binding pattern was seen in the epidermal sheets obtained from a PV patient utilizing the Nikolsky phenomenon. These findings indicate that both PF and PV antigen-antibody complexes are densely located on the desmosomal areas in early pemphigus lesions, suggesting the pathogenic importance of functional impairment of desmosomes by the autoantibodies.
Iwatsuki
K
K
Department of Dermatology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Takigawa
M
M
Jin
F
F
Yamada
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D001323:Autoantibodies