title: Orodigital pemphigus vulgaris: a pathogenic role of anti-desmoglein-3 autoantibodies in pemphigus paronychia?
abstract: Paronychia is a rare complication of pemphigus vulgaris (PV), and the immunological profile of patients with digital disease has not been assessed so far. We report 2 cases of PV with oral mucosa and periungual involvement, who had high titers of anti- desmoglein (Dsg)-3 circulating antibodies. These observations raise the possibility that expression of Dsg-1 and Dsg-3 in distinct areas of periungual skin is disease specific and that anti-Dsg-3 antibodies alone may have an as yet unrecognized importance for the development of paronychia in PV.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Dermatology, University Medical Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland. emmanuel.laffitte@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laffitte
authors.forename: Renato G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Panizzon
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borradori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D051183:Desmoglein 1 / Q000276:immunology; D051184:Desmoglein 3 / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D010304:Paronychia / Q000276:immunology; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014034:Toes
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D051183:Desmoglein 1; D051184:Desmoglein 3