PURPOSE Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic, proinflammatory cytokine that mediates various immunoinflammatory processes. Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) is an autoimmune disease in which affected conjunctivae show features of an immunoinflammatory disease. In this study, the role of MIF in the pathogenesis of OCP was examined. METHODS The expression of MIF in co...

To the Editor: We read with great interest the letter by De Vita et al published in this issue of the Journal that discusses the putative mechanisms underlying our case of radiation-induced hidradenitis suppurativa. The authors suggested this clinical presentation to be a typical example of ‘‘isoradiotopic response,’’ where the onset of a new skin disease is strikingly limited to a skin area pr...

PURPOSE Local proliferation of macrophages has been reported to augment the inflammatory response in various human and experimental diseases. Macrophage accumulation in the submucosa is also an important feature in the pathogenesis of ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP). In the present study, the role of local proliferation of macrophages in conjunctiva affected by OCP and the relationship betw...

PURPOSE Conjunctival fibrosis due to excessive accumulation of collagens is an important histologic feature in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP). Studies have suggested a role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 in conjunctival fibrosis in patients with OCP. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is an important downstream mediator of TGF-beta1-induced collagen synthesis. CTGF usually a...

PURPOSE To identify specific site(s) on human ss4 molecule to which sera from ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) patients bind and to determine its role in the process of blister formation. METHODS Clone the fragments representing the extracellular and intracellular domain of ss4 molecule from normal human conjunctival mRNA into an expression vector; map the region to which sera from OCP pat...

PURPOSE To demonstrate the specific binding of autoantibodies present in the sera of patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) to human beta4 integrin present in the normal human conjunctiva (NHC) and to study the role of OCP autoantibodies and antibody to human beta4 integrin in the pathogenesis of subepithelial lesion formation in OCP. METHODS Indirect immunofluorescence assay and i...