Ocular 'non-scarring' mucous membrane pemphigoid associated with anti-laminin-5 antibodies.
Mucous membrane pemphigoid is a rare, chronic autoimmune disease characterized by subepidermal blistering and scarring, predominantly affecting mucous membranes. Ocular involvement frequently occurs and often represents the only manifestation of the disease. We describe a 62-year-old woman with a bilateral 18-month duration of conjunctival hyperaemia, associated with erythema and oedema of the eyelids, lacking any typical ocular signs of mucous membrane pemphigoid such as sub-conjuctival fibrosis and scarring. Histology was not significant. Direct immunofluorescence of the conjunctiva showed IgG, IgA and complement deposition along the basement membrane zone. Immunoprecipitation analysis of affinity purified laminin-5 revealed a band consistent with the beta3 chain of laminin-5. This represents the first case of pure ocular mucous membrane pemphigoid associated with anti-laminin-5 antibodies.
Coronella
G
G
Department of Dermatological Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Amato
L
L
Berti
S
S
Moretti
S
S
Terracina
M
M
Mastrogiacomo
A
A
Fabbri
P
P
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008875:Middle Aged; D010390:Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D000097794:Kalinin
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D000097794:Kalinin