title: Expression of vinculin in autoimmune cutaneous diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reports have appeared that sera of patients with systemic autoimmune disorders have demonstrated autoantibodies to vinculin.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence and distribution of vinculin in the skin of patients with cutaneous autoimmune disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semiquantitative immunohistochemistry investigations for presence of vinculin were conducted on skin biopsy specimens from patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV), bullous pemphigoid (BP), and various collagen vascular diseases, and from healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results of staining for vinculin were positive in 2 of 7 PV patients, 6 of 9 BP patients, and all 6 cutaneous autoimmune patients. Staining results were negative in all controls. Strong immunostaining to vinculin was found in 3 of 6 vinculin-positive BP patients and 5 of 6 vinculin-positive cutaneous autoimmune patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression and distribution of vinculin are accentuated in patients with various skin autoimmune diseases and appear to be stronger in diseases involving the basement membrane, where it is thought to be relatively more important than in other skin disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Tel Aviv-Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yonit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wohl
authors.forename: Ilan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gat
authors.forename: Osnat
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ron-Tal
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brenner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010391:Pemphigoid, Bullous / Q000378:metabolism; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D016596:Vinculin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D016596:Vinculin