title: Epithelial antigenic specificities of circulating autoantibodies in mucosal lichen planus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mucosal lichen planus (LP) is an inflammatory disease of the mucous membranes of unknown origin. The antigen-specific autoantibodies or T cells responsible for this disease have not yet been established.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to study the antigenic specificities of circulating antibodies in patients with mucosal LP and to review previous findings on this topic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested a series of consecutive cases of mucosal LP in our clinic by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) and BP180 fusion proteins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three of 22 patients were positive for anti-NC16A antibodies. Interestingly, we found a middle-aged woman with severe disease with circulating anti-Dsg3 antibodies at high levels, typical of pemphigus vulgaris. Levels of these antibodies positively correlated with the severity of clinical manifestations. We failed to detect anti-desmoglein antibodies in any other patient in our series and in the literature review.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some patients with mucosal LP may present with circulating anti-BP180 antibodies at low levels. We also report the first case with positive anti-Dsg3 antibodies. The pathogenic relevance of these autoantibodies remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Herrero-González
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.|Department of Dermatology, Hospital Son Llàtzer, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parera Amer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Segura
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Autoimmunity (Immunology), Laboratori de Referència de Catalunya, El Prat de Llobregat, Spain.
authors.forename: Virgínia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mas Bosch
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ramon Maria
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pujol
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Hospital del Mar, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Martínez Escala
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051184:Desmoglein 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008010:Lichen Planus / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D051184:Desmoglein 3; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D024041:Non-Fibrillar Collagens; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000097805:Collagen Type XVII