Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is one of the two main forms of pemphigus and is characterized by circulating IgG to the desmosomal cadherin desmoglein 1 (DSG1) and by subcorneal blistering of the skin.
The main limitation of this present study is the small number of patients with endemic pemphigus and healthy subjects positive for desmoglein 1 antibodies.
The serological diagnosis of pemphigus relies on the detection of IgG autoantibodies directed against the epithelial cell surface by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on monkey esophagus and against desmoglein 1 (Dsg1) and Dsg3 by ELISA.
Novel ELISA systems for antibodies to desmoglein 1 and 3: correlation of disease activity with serum autoantibody levels in individual pemphigus patients.
To determine whether individuals without pemphigus have B cell tolerance to Dsg1, we cloned mAbs from two patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and a healthy person.
Pemphigus is a life-threatening blistering disorder of the skin and mucous membranes caused by pathogenic autoantibodies to desmosomal adhesion proteins desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) and Dsg1.
In the present study, we examined the reactivity of the sera from various types of pemphigus with recombinant proteins of extracellular and intracellular domains of human Dsg1 and Dsg3 by immunoblot analysis.
To determine whether pemphigus sera recognize non-denatured Dsg1 domains, constructs were expressed in cultured cells and tested for reactivity with pemphigus sera using live-cell immunofluorescence.