title: Drug-induced linear IgA disease with antibodies to collagen VII.
abstract: Linear IgA disease (LAD) is characterized by circulating and tissue-bound IgA antibodies against heterogeneous antigens in the cutaneous basement membrane zone. In most cases the cause is unknown, but a minority of cases has been drug induced. We report a 76-year-old man who developed an acute blistering eruption following high-dose penicillin treatment for pneumococcal septicaemia. Indirect immunofluorescence demonstrated dermal binding IgA antibodies, and Western blotting of serum showed reactivity with a 250 kDa dermal antigen corresponding to collagen VII of anchoring fibrils. Indirect immunoelectron microscopy showed antibody labelling in the lamina densa and sublamina densa zone. This is one of the few cases of drug-induced LAD in which the target antigen profile has been characterized, and the first in which the antigen has been shown to correspond to collagen VII.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital, U.K.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Wakelin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wojnarowska
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D012872:Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D003094:Collagen; D010400:Penicillin G