title: In vitro tannin acantholysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exogenous factors, such as certain drugs, may be involved in the induction of pemphigus. Other offenders sharing a similar chemical composition to these drugs may also play a role. Tannins with their considerable biologic activity were suggested as possible factors. To substantiate the role of tannins in the pathomechanism of pemphigus, the present study examined the acantholytic potential of tannins in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Normal human breast skin from patients without any bullous disease was cultured for 3 days in the presence of tannic acid at concentrations of 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mM. The effect of the tannic acid was microscopically examined in a blind fashion by three independent investigators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In addition to the cytotoxic effect, tannic acid caused marked acantholytic changes, with a clear suprabasal cleavage and intraepidermal acantholytic cells. The acantholytic changes were the most constant and specific effects. They were constantly observed at 1.0 and 2.0 mM, whereas lower concentrations showed changes only in some of the explants. The concentrations needed to exert this effect were notably low. There was a remarkable variability among the subjects who had provided the explants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest a possible role of tannin in the disease process of pemphigus. The tannin acantholytic potential was much greater than the potential of known acantholytic drugs, such as penicillamine and captopril. The interindividual variability in susceptibility to acantholysis may explain the variability in the individual potential for developing pemphigus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ruocco
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruocco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tur
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Luongo
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lombardi
mesh_terms: D000051:Acantholysis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000139:chemically induced; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects; D013634:Tannins / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D013634:Tannins