Basophils are rare immune cells, accounting for 0-2% of peripheral blood leukocytes, and known to be involved in defense against parasitic infections allergic diseases. Recent studies have revealed their pathogenic role autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus via type 2 cytokine production supporting plasma cells. Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an blistering disease caused by IgG a...

Skin basement membrane zone (BMZ) is an ultrastructurally defined area situated between the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, and the inner layer of skin, the dermis. The major function of skin BMZ is to serve as an adherent connection between the epidermis and the dermis. Heritable skin diseases characterized by genetic mutations that result in defective BMZ protein production, such as junct...

T helper 17 (Th17) cells are characterized by the secretion of IL-17, a proinflammatory cytokine. They represent a newly described T helper subpopulation that is distinct from Th1 and Th2 lineages. Because of their pleiotropic activity on fibroblasts, keratinocytes, endothelial cells, neutrophils and memory T cells, Th17 cells are thought to be crucial in mediating tissue inflammation and autoi...

Thirty three patients admitted to the University Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital, were included in the study. The purpose of the study was to compare data on age and gender, habits, lesion localization, onset of symptoms and therapy between patients with pemphigus vulgaris and those suffering from bullous pemphigoid. Based on clinical presentati...

background: infectious agents have been suspected as a triggering factor for development of autoimmune thyroid disease (atd). some reports from western countries have suggested association between helicobacter pylori (hp) infection and atd. objective: to investigate the association of atd with cag a seropositivity in a population with high rate and early age of onset of hp infection. methods: i...

micrornas (mirnas) are small preserved non-coding rna molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally by targeting the 3' utr of mrnas for translational repression or degradation. the rising evidence has established the significant role of mirnas within the regulation of immune system and the prevention of autoimmunity. mir-146a has obtained an importance as a modulator of d...