Korean J Dermatol.  2001 Apr;39(4):402-406.

The Frequency of Serum Autoantibodies to the Epidermal Antigens among Normal Elderly People

• Joo HJ
• Lee AY
• Lee CW

Abstract

BACKGROUND: One of the age-associated changes in immunity is the increase of autoantibodies due to dysregulation of the immune function. Anti-basement membrane zone antibodies were also reported to be found in the sera taken from normal elderly people.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency of autoantibodies to the epidermal antigens in the sera among normal elderly people.
METHODS
Indirect immunofluorescence using salt-split human skin and immunoblotting with extracts from epidermoid carcinoma cell line(A431) were performed using sera from forty elderly persons without any systemic disease.
RESULTS
Among 40 elderly individuals, 3 cases(7.5%) were positive for anti-basement membrane zone IgG antibodies in indirect immunofluorescence, and the titers were 1:10 to 1:40 dilution factor. In immunoblottings, 4 cases(10%) were positive with epidermal antigens; 2 were positive against the 180kD protein with IgG and IgA autoantibodies, 1 showed positive bands at 230kD and 180kD antigens with IgG, and remaining one showed positive at 130kD antigen who had negative result in indirect immunofluorescence.
CONCLUSION
Autoantibodies against epidermal antigens(bullous pemphigoid angigen[230/180kD] or pemphigus vulgaris antigen[130kD]) can be detected without any bullous cutaneous diseases among elderly people; possibly as an epiphenomenon of immunosenescence.

Keyword

Serum autoantibodies; Epidermal antigens; Normal elderly

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Antibodies
Autoantibodies*
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
Humans
Immunoblotting
Immunoglobulin A
Immunoglobulin G
Membranes
Pemphigoid, Bullous
Pemphigus
Skin
Antibodies
Autoantibodies
Immunoglobulin A
Immunoglobulin G