Plectin, an unusual target antigen in bullous pemphigoid.
BACKGROUND
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a blistering disease associated with autoantibodies directed against two components of hemidesmosomes, BP180 and BP230.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether BP patients have autoantibodies targeting plectin, another hemidesmosomal component showing extensive homology to BP230.


METHODS
Examination of sera from 16 patients with BP, using immunoprecipitation studies followed by immunoblotting.


RESULTS
Serum of one of the 16 (6%) patients with BP contain autoantibodies binding to plectin, while no reactivity was found with sera from three control subjects. Sera from all 16 BP patients immunoprecipitated BP230 from extracts of biosynthetically radiolabelled human keratinocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that sera from BP patients might contain autoantibodies binding to plectin. Although this protein and BP230 are closely sequence-related, the occurrence of autoantibodies binding to plectin is a rare phenomenon in BP.
Laffitte
E
E
Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire, Rue Micheli du Crest 26 CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
Favre
B
B
Fontao
L
L
Riou
S
S
Jaunin
F
F
Tamm
K
K
Saurat
J H
JH
Borradori
L
L
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003094:Collagen / Q000276:immunology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000071821:Dystonin; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000276:immunology*; D051190:Plectin; D015531:Radioimmunoprecipitation Assay; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003094:Collagen; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000071821:Dystonin; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D051190:Plectin; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII; C486268:DST protein, human; C495332:PLEC protein, human