title: A case of bullous pemphigoid successfully treated by plasmapheresis: assessment of the change in titers of circulating antibodies by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
abstract: We report a case of bullous pemphigoid successfully treated with double filtration plasmapheresis. The changes in titers of circulating autoantibodies were assessed by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a recombinant protein of the non-collagenous 16a (NC16a) domain of the 180 kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen (BP180). The ELISA was shown to be more sensitive in detecting disease-specific antoantibodies in the bullous pemphigoid sera. The reduction of titers of circulating autoantibodies in the sera correlated well with the decrease in the disease activity in both the first and second rounds of plasmapheresis treatment in this case.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Jee Bum
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Takeaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fumimori
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurose
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000071821:Dystonin; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003094:Collagen; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000071821:Dystonin; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII; C486268:DST protein, human