The putative role of apoptosis in the induction of pemphigus.
The apoptotic cell has recently been shown to play a central role in tolerizing B cells and T cells to both tissue-specific and ubiquitously expressed self-antigens, and to possibly drive the autoimmune response in systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease which bears many similarities to pemphigus. We now propose a similar mechanism in the induction of pemphigus, namely, that a dysregulation in apoptosis expressed as an impairment of normal programmed cell death of epidermal keratinocytes and/or deficient and inadequate clearance of apoptotic material (specifically, desmoglein) may render it antigenic with the consequent production of autoantibodies. The fact that some thiol-containing compounds which are well-known inducers of acantholysis in vitro and pemphigus in vivo were shown to inhibit apoptosis might support our hypothesis.
Wolf
Ronni
R
Dermatology Unit, Kaplan Medical Center, 76100 Rechovot, Israel. wolf_r@netvision.net.il
Matz
Hagit
H
Ruocco
Eleonora
E
Ruocco
Vincenzo
V
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018448:Models, Immunological; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology*