title: Nuclear magnetic resonance titration of the interaction between pemphigus vulgaris autoantibodies and REWVKFAKPCRE, a therapeutic desmoglein 3 peptide.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune skin disease, the primary autoantigen of which is the desmosomal cadherin desmoglein (Dsg)3. The exact defin-ition of Dsg3 epitopes and their relationship(s) to the pathophysiology of blister formation are important for the advancement of efforts to develop more effective and specific therapies for PV.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the binding of autoantibodies from patients with PV to a Dsg3 peptide, REWVKFAKPCRE, which shows therapeutic effectiveness but does not induce pathogenic antibodies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a titration experiment of the reaction between PV autoantibodies and the peptide Dsg349-60REWVKFAKPCRE using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The interaction between Dsg349-60REWVKFAKPCRE and PV autoantibodies at concentrations of 20, 40 and 60 mg was found to involve R49 and A55 residues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data seem to suggest that the REWVKFAKPCRE peptide may mimic epitopic Dsg3 extracellular sequences related to pathogenic autoantibodies.
authors.affiliation: Multidisciplinary Department of Medical-Surgical and Odontostomatological Specialties, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lucchese
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sinha
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001768:Blister / Q000503:physiopathology; D051184:Desmoglein 3 / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051182:Desmogleins; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D010455:Peptides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D051184:Desmoglein 3; D051182:Desmogleins; D010455:Peptides