title: Complement-fixing abilities and IgG subclasses of autoantibodies in epidermolysis bullosa acquisita.
abstract: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is an autoimmune-mediated subepidermal bullous disease in which the target of the autoantibodies is type VII collagen, a major component of anchoring fibrils. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the complement-fixing abilities and IgG subclass distribution of autoantibodies in EBA, and to also attempt to investigate the relation between inflammation, complement fixation and IgG subclass distribution in EBA patients. Only 2 sera of 18 patients (11%) showed weak complement-fixing abilities. IgG1 and IgG4 were the most frequently and intensely stained IgG subclasses in EBA sera. We could not find any relationship between the clinico-pathologic types, complement-fixing abilities and IgG subclasses in EBA. These results suggested that complement activation may not be a key factor of bulla formation in EBA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000145:classification*; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016107:Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000145:classification*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D003165:Complement System Proteins