title: Lichen planus sera react non-specifically with second trimester fetal skin.
abstract: Lichen planus (LP) is a relatively common papulosquamous disease of unknown etiology for which an "autoimmune" pathogenesis has been postulated. A LP-specific antigen has been found in the stratum granulosum of lesional skin, and circulating antibodies to this antigen have been found in sera of about 70% of LP patients. Specific binding of antibodies in LP sera to second trimester fetal skin has been reported (Med. Microbiol. Immunol., 1984; 172, 249). In the present study, we attempted to reproduce this work. Indirect immunofluorescence was performed using frozen sections of human foreskin or second trimester fetal skin (n = 7) incubated first with serum from 17 LP patients or 7 normal controls. The substrate was then washed and incubated with fluorescein-labelled rabbit antibodies to human immunoglobulins. Results showed that sera from both LP patients and normal controls reacted with epidermal cells of fetal skin above the basal cell layer. The foreskin substrate did not react with either sera. In conclusion, we could not confirm the differences in reactivity of LP vs. normal sera against second trimester fetal skin as previously reported. This discrepancy between the two studies may be attributed to methods of collection of fetal tissue, nonspecific binding of antibodies in serum of some LP patients, or increased levels of immunoglobulins against epidermal keratins in sera of LP patients or normal controls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camisa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rossana
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Lane
mesh_terms: D001324:Autoantigens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens