title: Molecular diagnosis in autoimmune skin blistering conditions.
abstract: Blister formation in skin and mucous membranes results from a loss of cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion and is a common outcome of pathological events in a variety of conditions, including autoimmune and genetic diseases, viral and bacterial infections, or injury by physical and chemical factors. Autoantibodies against structural components maintaining cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion induce tissue damage in autoimmune blistering diseases. Detection of these autoantibodies either tissue-bound or circulating in serum is essential to diagnose the autoimmune nature of disease. Various immunofluorescence methods as well as molecular immunoassays, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting, belong to the modern diagnostic algorithms for these disorders. There is still a considerable need to increase awareness of the rare autoimmune blistering diseases, which often show a severe, chronic-relapsing course, among physicians and the public. This review article describes the immunopathological features of autoimmune bullous diseases and the molecular immunoassays currently available for their diagnosis and monitoring.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hertl
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstrasse 7, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany. cassian@mail.sitaru.eu.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sitaru
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001768:Blister / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans