Upregulation of Anti-Desmocollin 3 Antibodies in Pemphigus Diseases: A Case-control Study.

Background: Pemphigus diseases are a subgroup of autoimmune bullous diseases characterized by autoantibodies against desmogleins and occasionally desmocollins. Desmocollin 3 is the main desmocollin isoform that contributes to cell adhesion in the epidermis.

Objective: To evaluate the presence and level of anti-desmocollin 3 antibodies in pemphigus diseases, and to investigate whether their presence is associated with a specific type, presentation, or clinical pattern.

Assessment of tissue E-cadherin and its proteolytic serum fragment in pemphigus vulgaris before and after remission: A case-control study.

Background: E-cadherin is a classic cadherin that mediates keratinocyte adhesion.

Aims: To assess the tissue expression of E-cadherin and its proteolytic serum fragment (soluble E-cadherin) in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) before and after clinical remission compared with controls.

Patients: Thirty-seven PV patients and thirty controls were enrolled.

Downregulation of aquaporin 3 in patients with pemphigus vulgaris.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune bullous skin disease. Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) is a glycerol/water channel involved in several physiological functions. Evaluation of the tissue expression and localization of AQP3 in the skin of PV patients.

Pemphigus vulgaris relapse during the coronavirus disease pandemic.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is the most common type of pemphigus group of autoimmune skin diseases. The treatment of PV relapse is challenging especially during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In this prospective study, we aimed to evaluate the treatment of patients with relapsing PV during the pandemic.

Comparison of vascular endothelial growth factor expression between lesional and non-lesional skin in patients with morphea: a dermoscopy-guided immunohistochemical study.

Morphea is an inflammatory fibrosing disease, initiated by vascular injury resulting in increased collagen formation and decreased collagen degradation. This study was designed to evaluate the role of angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the vascular changes which are dermoscopically evident in morphea lesions, compared with that in non-lesional skin, by assessing its expression immunohistochemically on tissue blood vessels. Twenty patients with morphea were subjected to clinical and dermoscopic examinations.

Serum and tissue levels of coenzyme Q10 in pemphigus vulgaris.

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a debilitating autoimmune blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes. It occurs due to the action of autoantibodies against various keratinocyte self-antigens. Anti-mitochondrial autoantibodies are detected in patients with PV.

Serum levels of soluble PD1 in pemphigus vulgaris: A useful marker for disease severity.

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a life-threatening autoimmune blistering disease targeting the skin and mucous membranes. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) is an immune checkpoint which binds to two ligands, PDL1 and PDL2 resulting in negative regulation of antigen receptor signaling, thus, play a critical role in the immune regulation of autoimmune diseases.

Aim: In this work we aimed to assess serum levels of soluble PD1 (sPD1) in patients with active PV and in patients in remission in an attempt to evaluate its effect on disease severity.

Recipient site preparation by cryoblebbing in melanocyte keratinocyte transplantation procedure over the fingers in vitiligo: A pilot study.

Surgical treatment of vitiligo lesions over the fingers has poor outcome. In this intra-patient comparative study, 12 patients with stable non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) affecting the middle three fingers of one hand were included. Three variations were used in treatment of finger vitiligo lesions: minipuch grafting, melanocytes keratinocyte transplantation procedure (MKTP) preceded by cryoblebbing or full CO laser resurfacing of the recipient site.

Assessment of the quality of life of Egyptian and Tunisian autoimmune bullous diseases' patients using an Arabic version of the autoimmune bullous disease quality of life and the treatment of autoimmune bullous disease quality of life questionnaires.

Background: The Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (ABQOL) and the Treatment of Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (TABQOL) questionnaires proved to be reliable tools that measure the disease and treatment burden.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the ABQOL and TABQOL in the Arabic population.

Methods: The English questionnaires were translated into the Arabic language by a certified translation agency.

Evaluation of the pathogenicity of anti-desmoglein antibodies of pemphigus vulgaris patients using human organ culture assay.

Anti-desmoglein (anti-Dsg) antibodies are key players in the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) disease. We aimed to evaluate the pathogenicity of anti-Dsg antibodies of PV patients using human organ culture assay and to assess the correlation between the pathogenicity and the disease score. In this cross-sectional study, sera from 37 PV patients were included.

Downregulation of aquaporin 3 in bullous pemphigoid patients.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a chronic autoimmune skin disease. Aquaporin 3 (AQP 3) has a possible role in the pathogenesis of many dermatological diseases. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the expression of AQP 3 in BP.

Alteration of serum and tissue tumor necrosis factor alpha levels: A possible mechanism of action of oral pulse steroids in the treatment of alopecia areata.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a multifactorial disease in which tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) plays an important role.

Objective: To study the effect of oral pulse steroids on both serum and tissue levels of TNF-α in AA patients.

Methods: Skin biopsies and serum samples were collected from 20 patients with patchy AA before and after treatment (oral prednisolone for two consecutive days every week for 3 months) for determination of the levels of TNF-α levels using ELISA technique.

Autologous platelet-rich plasma and triamcinolone acetonide intralesional injection in the treatment of oral erosions of pemphigus vulgaris: a pilot study.

Oral erosions of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) represent a therapeutic challenge. In this work we compared intralesional injection of steroids (ILS) and autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment of oral erosions of PV. In this split-mouth randomized double blind study, one side of the buccal mucosa of 11 PV patients was injected with 10 mg/ml triamcinolone and the opposite side was injected with 1 millilitre of autologous PRP every 14 days for 3 months.

Diagnosis and management of pemphigus: Recommendations of an international panel of experts.

Background: Several European countries recently developed international diagnostic and management guidelines for pemphigus, which have been instrumental in the standardization of pemphigus management.

Objective: We now present results from a subsequent Delphi consensus to broaden the generalizability of the recommendations.

Methods: A preliminary survey, based on the European Dermatology Forum and the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology guidelines, was sent to a panel of international experts to determine the level of consensus.

A prospective study comparing patients with early and late relapsing pemphigus treated with rituximab.

Background: Rituximab (RTX) is an effective therapy for patients with pemphigus; however, the therapy does not prevent relapse.

Objectives: To compare early relapsing patients (before 12 months) and late relapsing patients (after 24 months) following RTX therapy.

Method: In this prospective study, 19 patients were enrolled (14 with pemphigus vulgaris and 5 with pemphigus foliaceus).

Effect of combination of fractional CO laser and narrow-band ultraviolet B versus narrow-band ultraviolet B in the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo.

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of combining fractional CO laser with narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) versus NB-UVB in the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo. The study included 20 patients with non-segmental stable vitiligo. They were divided into two groups.

Rituximab treatment in pemphigus vulgaris: effect on circulating Tregs.

Rituximab (RTX) has been used successfully to treat refractory pemphigus. We aimed to assess the response of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) cases to RTX therapy and its effect on CD4CD25 (T regulatory) cells level. Sixteen PV patients were included in this study, each received one cycle of two RTX infusions (1000 mg on days 1 and 15).

Autoantibodies other than Anti-desmogleins in Pemphigus Vulgaris Patients.

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an immunoglobulin G-mediated autoimmune bullous skin disease. Nonorgan-specific antibodies were detected in Tunisian and Brazilian pemphigus patients with different prevalence.

Materials And Methods: Fifty PV patients and fifty controls were screened for antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMAs), anti-parietal antibodies (APAs), anti-mitochondrial antibodies, and Anti-nuclear cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) by indirect immunofluorescence.

Platelet-rich plasma for resistant oral erosions of pemphigus vulgaris: A pilot study.

Oral erosions and ulcers of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) are a debilitating condition that is usually difficult to treat. The wound healing properties of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) encouraged us to evaluate its usefulness in treatment of non-healing oral PV lesions. Seven patients with chronic oral PV, resistant to conventional therapy, were treated with weekly to monthly injections of PRP of affected mucosal membranes.

Autoimmune reactivity against precursor form of desmoglein 1 in healthy Tunisians in the area of endemic pemphigus foliaceus.

Background: Desmoglein 1 (Dsg1), the pemphigus foliaceus (PF) antigen, is produced as a precursor (preDsg1) and is transported to the cell surface as the mature form (matDsg1). Recent studies show that B cells from North American individuals without pemphigus can potentially produce anti-preDsg1 IgG antibodies, but ELISA screening of large numbers of normal people in North America and Japan hardly ever shows circulating antibodies against preDsg1 or matDsg1. In contrast, in Tunisia, where PF is endemic, anti-Dsg1 IgGs are frequently detected in healthy individuals.

Development of NC1 and NC2 domains of type VII collagen ELISA for the diagnosis and analysis of the time course of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita patients.

Background: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is an acquired autoimmune mechanobullous disease. EBA patients possess autoantibodies against type VII collagen which is composed of a collagenous domain flanked by non-collagenous NC1 and NC2 domains. It was reported that major epitopes reside within the NC1 domain and minor epitopes reside within NC2 domain.

Pathogenic epitopes of autoantibodies in pemphigus reside in the amino-terminal adhesive region of desmogleins which are unmasked by proteolytic processing of prosequence.

Pemphigus targets desmogleins (Dsgs), which are thought to be synthesized as inactive precursor proteins with prosequences that are cleaved by substilisin-like proprotein convertases, such as furin, to yield mature adhesive molecules. We hypothesized that some pemphigus pathogenic antibodies (Abs), which presumably interfere with adhesion, only bind the mature form. A pathogenic and three non-pathogenic anti-Dsg1 monoclonal Abs (mAbs) isolated from a pemphigus foliaceus (PF) patient, were used for immunoprecipitation and ELISA of recombinant precursor and mature Dsg1.