title: Junctional epidermolysis bullosa of late onset explained by mutations in COL17A1.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Junctional epidermolysis bullosa of late onset (JEB-lo) is a rare disease characterized by blistering of primarily the hands and feet starting in childhood. The pathogenesis remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the pathogenesis of JEB-lo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients with JEB-lo, a brother and a sister, were examined using electron microscopy (EM), immunofluorescence (IF) antigen mapping and molecular analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found subtle changes in IF antigen mapping and EM. The most remarkable changes were loss of the apical-lateral staining of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against type XVII collagen (Col17), and a broadened distribution of mAb staining against the ectodomain of Col17, laminin-332 and type VII collagen. Mutation analysis of COL17A1, encoding Col17, showed a compound heterozygosity for a novel mutation c.1992_1995delGGGT and the known mutation c.3908G>A in both patients. The deletion c.1992_1995delGGGT results in a premature termination codon and mRNA decay, leaving the patients functionally hemizygous for the missense mutation c.3908G>A (p.R1303Q) in the noncollagenous 4 domain of Col17.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  JEB-lo is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in COL17A1, and subtle aberrations in EM and IF antigen mapping are clues to diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. w.y.yuen@derm.umcg.nl
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Pas
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sinke
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Jonkman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016109:Epidermolysis Bullosa, Junctional / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D035781:Siblings; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII