Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an acquired autoimmune blistering disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies targeting desmosomal cadherins, primarily desmoglein 1 and 3, leading to acantholysis. The etiology PV multifactorial, including genetic susceptibility. This retrospective study aimed evaluate association HLA class II alleles examine impact PV-associated on concentration anti-d...

Pemphigus vulgaris is a chronic autoimmune blistering disease characterized by antibody production against Desmogleins 3 (Dsg3) and 1 (Dsg1) causing acantholysis. Increased levels of innate cytokines detected in the blister fluid suggest role immune system activity. To elucidate discrepancy between binding pathogenic antibodies lack formation, we focused on cofactors supporting Here, used dispa...

p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling plays a major role in the modulation of immune-mediated inflammatory responses and therefore has been linked with several autoimmune diseases. The extent of the involvement of p38 MAPK in the pathogenesis of autoimmune blistering diseases has started to emerge, but whether it pays a critical role is a matter of debate. The activity of p3...

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...

Activation of caspases results in the disruption of structural and signaling networks in apoptotic cells. Recent biochemical and cell biological studies have shown that components of the cadherin-catenin adhesion complex in epithelial adherens junctions are targeted by caspases during apoptosis. In epithelial cells, desmosomes represent a second type of anchoring junctions mediating strong cell...

Pemphigus are B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases affecting skin and mucous membranes. They are characterized by the production of pathogenic autoantibodies directed against desmogleins (Dsg). In this prospective study, we treated 21 pemphigus patients with rituximab and analyzed immunological modifications induced by anti-CD20 immunotherapy. The total depletion of peripheral B cells led to a s...

Epithelial cells are tightly connected by various kinds of junctions, of which the desmosomes (maculae adhaerentes) are particularly prominent. The desmosomes are characterized by two subgroups of constitutive transmembrane glycoproteins, the desmogleins and the desmocollins, which have been identified as specific members of the larger multigene family of CAMs of the cadherin category. Followin...

BACKGROUND Serum desmoglein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is used for the diagnosis and monitoring of pemphigus diseases. OBJECTIVES To compare the diagnostic accuracy of salivary antidesmoglein (Dsg) 1 and 3 ELISA in the diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) patients with that of serum desmogleins ELISA. METHODS Eighty-six untreated PV patients and 180 age- and sex-matched PV-fr...

Desmosomal cadherins, desmogleins (Dsgs) and desmocollins, make up the adhesive core of intercellular junctions called desmosomes. A critical determinant of epithelial adhesive strength is the level and organization of desmosomal cadherins on the cell surface. The Dsg subclass of desmosomal cadherins contains a C-terminal unique region (Dsg unique region [DUR]) with unknown function. In this pa...