Autoantibodies to type VII collagen mediate Fcgamma-dependent neutrophil activation and induce dermal-epidermal separation in cryosections of human skin.

ABSTRACT: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is an autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease associated with autoantibodies to type VII collagen, the major constituent of anchoring fibrils. Previous attempts to demonstrate the blister-inducing potential of autoantibodies to this protein have failed. To address this question, we used an in vitro model involving cryosections of human skin incubated with patients' autoantibodies and leukocytes from healthy donors. We show that sera from 14 of 16 epidermolysis bullosa acquisita patients, in contrast to sera from healthy controls, induced dermal-epidermal separation in the cryosections. Recruitment and activation of neutrophils at the dermal-epidermal junction was necessary for split induction, whereas mononuclear cells were not required. Importantly, pati

SUBMITTER: Sitaru C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1850704 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature