title: Functional involvement of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor in pemphigus acantholysis.
abstract: Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) has been well documented in the development of pemphigus acantholysis. The function of its receptor (uPA-R) in pemphigus acantholysis has only recently attracted attention. Increased expression of uPA-R has been demonstrated in pemphigus vulgaris. In this study, we have further explored the functional involvement of uPA-R in pemphigus acantholysis. Our results show that uPA-R expression is significantly increased in acantholytic foci of pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus but not in bullous pemphigoid or normal skin specimens; the expression of uPA-R in cultured human keratinocytes is subjected to regulation by pemphigus vulgaris IgG but not by pemphigoid IgG or normal human IgG; furthermore, anti-uPA-R monoclonal antibody effectively inhibits pemphigus vulgaris IgG induced acantholysis in skin organ cultures. These data suggest that uPA-R may play an important role in the pathogenesis of pemphigus acantholysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toi
mesh_terms: D000051:Acantholysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C524898:PLAUR protein, human; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator; D010960:Plasminogen Activators