Association between COVID-19 vaccination and bullous pemphigoid - a case series and literature review.

Bullous pemphigoid is an acquired autoimmune blistering dermatosis that is commonly associated with high morbidity and mortality. New-onset bullous pemphigoid following vaccinations has rarely been reported in the literature. We report two cases of new-onset bullous pemphigoid after COVID-19 vaccination followed by a brief literature review.

Sequential expression of type IV collagen networks: testis as a model and relevance to spermatogenesis.

The six alpha chains of type IV collagen are organized into three networks: alpha1/alpha2, alpha3/alpha4/alpha5, and alpha1/alpha2/alpha5/alpha6. A shift from the alpha1/alpha2 to the alpha3/alpha4/alpha5 network occurs in the developing glomerular basement membrane, but how the alpha1/alpha2/alpha5/alpha6 network fits into this sequence is less clear, because the three networks do not colocalize. Here, we studied the seminiferous tubule basement membrane of normal canine testis where all three networks do colocalize: the alpha1/alpha2 network is expressed from birth, the alpha1/alpha2/alpha5/alpha6 network by 5-6 weeks of age, and the alpha3/alpha4/alpha5 network by 2 months of age.

DDR1-deficient mice show localized subepithelial GBM thickening with focal loss of slit diaphragms and proteinuria.

Background: Type IV collagen in basement membranes is a ligand for the receptor tyrosine kinase discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1). DDR1 is expressed in renal cells and regulates cell adhesion and proliferation ex vivo. The interaction between type IV collagen and cell surface receptors is believed important for normal renal function as well as significant in chronic renal diseases and we therefore analyzed mice with a targeted deletion of DDR1.

Cyclosporine a slows the progressive renal disease of alport syndrome (X-linked hereditary nephritis): results from a canine model.

Alport syndrome refers to a hereditary disorder characterized by progressive renal disease and a multilaminar appearance to the glomerular basement membrane (GBM). In a small group of patients with Alport syndrome, cyclosporine A was reported to decrease proteinuria and maintain stable renal function over 7 to 10 yr of follow-up. The present study examined the effect of cyclosporine A on GBM structure and the progression to renal failure in a canine model of X-linked Alport syndrome.