Autoimmunity and complement in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria.
Chronic urticaria is a debilitating skin disease that is believed to have an underlying autoimmune etiology in 35% to 50% of cases. Patients with autoimmune urticaria have functional antibodies in their sera that release histamine from basophils and mast cells. The C5a component of complement is required for mast cell degranulation in this process and at least augments basophil histamine release. In this article, the evidence that is key to our understanding of autoimmunity and complement in the pathogenesis of a subset of patients with chronic urticaria is outlined. Some of the issues in testing for and treating autoimmune urticaria are discussed.
Marsland
Alexander M
AM
Department of Dermatology, University of Manchester School of Medicine, Hope Hospital, Stott Lane, Salford, Manchester M6 8HD, UK. sacha.marsland@virgin.net
D015551:Autoimmunity; D001491:Basophils / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000276:immunology; D015936:Complement C5a / Q000378:metabolism*; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014581:Urticaria / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy
D015936:Complement C5a