Skip to main content
Log in

Evidence for cell-mediated autoimmunity in patients with pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid

  • Original Works
  • Published:
Archives of Dermatological Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Lymphoid cells from 4 of 5 patients diagnosed as pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and 6 of 7 patients diagnosed as bullous pemphigoid (BP) demonstrated specific cell-mediated immunity by the production of migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in the presence of autologous epidermal saline extracts. Clinical treatment of these patients with immunosuppressive agents resulted in a state of unresponsivenes of their lymphoid cells to similar concentrations of the antigen. Controls consisted of lymphoid cells from patients with bullous burns or various drug allergies which failed to show significant MIF production in the presence of autologous skin extract. These studies suggest that both PV and BP patients posses cell-mediated immunity (CMI) to their own autologous tissue antigens and this CMI may play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.

Zussammenfassung

Der autologe Epidermis-Extrakt löste bei 4 von 5 an Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) und bei 6 von 7 an bullösem Pemphigoid (BP) leidenden patienten eine Leukocytenmigrationshemmung aus. Das auf ähnliche Weise hergestellte Antigen verursachte bei Patienten mit bullöser Verbrennung oder Arzneimittel-Allergie keine Migrationshemmung. Die migrationshemmende Wirkung klang zur Zeit der Symptomfreiheit sichenden erhaltenden Therapie ab. Diese Befunde deuten darauf hin, daß die PV- und die BP-Kranken über gegen epidermale Antigene gerichtete celluläre Autoimmunreaktion verfügen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ablin, R. J., Milgrom, F., Kano, K., Rapaport, F. T., Beutner, E. H.: Pemphiguslike antibodies in patients with skin burns. Vox Sang. 16, 73–79 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Beutner, E. H., Jordon, R. E.: Demonstration of skin antibodies in sera of pemphigus vulgaris by indirect immunoflourescent steaning. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 117, 505–510 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Beutner, E. H., Su-Yu Shu: Pemphigus antigens. In: Immunopathology of the skin labelled antibody studies. Beutner, E. H., Chorzelsky, T. P., Bean, S. F., Jordon, R. E. (eds.). Stroudsburg: Dowden Hutchinson and Ross 1973

    Google Scholar 

  4. Chorzelski, T. P., Cormane, R. H.: The presence of complement “bound” in vivo in the skin of patients with pemphigoid. Dermatologica 137, 134–138 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Fellner, M. J., Prutkin, L.: Morbilliform eruptions caused by penicillin. J. Invest. Dermatol. 55, 390–395 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Helander, I., Hopsu-Havu, V.: Cell-mediated immunity in lichen planus. Arch. Dermatol. Res. 258, 1–8 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hunyadi, J., Dobozy, A., Schneider, I., Simon, N.: Untersuchungen der cellulären Immunität mit Hilfe eines Leukocytenmigrations-Testes bei mit verschiedenen Antistreptolysintiteren einhergehenden Dermatosen. Arch. Dermatol. Forsch. 241, 385–390 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jordon, R. E., Beutner, E. H., Witebsky, E., Blumenthal, C., Hale, W. L., Lever, W. F.: Basementzone antibodies in bullous pemphigoid. J. Am. Med. Ass. 200, 751–756 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lang, S.: Lymphocytenkulturen bei blasenbildenden Dermatosen mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Pemphigusgruppe. Inaugural-Diss. Tübingen, 1969

  10. Parish, W. E.: Immunology and the skin. In: Advances in biology of skin. Montagna, W., Billingham, E. E. (eds.). Vol. XI. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts 1971

    Google Scholar 

  11. Sams, W. M.: Pemphigus and pemphigoid. In: Immunological aspects of skin diseases. Fry, L., Seah, P. P. (eds.). Lancester: MTP 1974

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sams, W. M., Jordon, R. E.: Correlation of pemphigoid and pemphigus antibody titer with activity of disease. Br. J. Dermatol. 84, 7–13 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Sams, W. M., Jordon, R. E.: Pemphigus antibodies: their role in disease. J. Invest. Dermatol. 56, 474–479 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Schulze, P., Sönnichsen, N.: Der Lymphocytentransformationstest bei blasenbildenden Dermatosen. Dermatol. Mschr. 163, 846–847 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hunyadi, J., Dobozy, A. & Kenderessy, A.S. Evidence for cell-mediated autoimmunity in patients with pemphigus vulgaris and bullous pemphigoid. Arch. Dermatol. Res. 265, 9–14 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00412696

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00412696

Key words

Schlüsselwörter

Navigation