Korean J Dermatol.
2004 Jan;42(1):23-28.
Immunoblot Analysis Using Epidermal Extract and 180kD Bullous Pemphigoid Antigen NC16a Domain in the Diagnosis of Subepidermal Bullous Diseases
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Dermatology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea. schul@chonnam.ac.kr
Abstract
- BACKGROUND
The 180kD bullous pemphigoid antigen (BP180) is known to be recognized by sera from patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP), herpes gestationis (HG), and cicatricial pemphigoid (CP). A series of previous studies using BP180 recombinant proteins has shown that most sera from patients with BP and HG react with the NC16a domain of BP180. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to compare the immunoblotting results by using human epidermal extracts and by using recombinant protein of BP180 NC16a domain in the diagnosis of subepidermal bullous skin diseases. METHOD: We observed the reactivity with the epidermal extract of normal human foreskin and recombinant protein of BP180 NC16a domain in immunoblotting assay. RESULTS: In immunoblotting with epidermal extract, 7(78%) and 6(67%) of the 9 BP sera reacted with BP230 and BP180, respectively. 1(50%) of the 2 HG and 2(100%) of the 2 CP sera reacted with BP180. In immunoblotting with recombinant protein of BP180 NC16a domain, 8(89%) of the 9 BP sera and 2(100%) of the 2 HG sera were immunoreactive. But, none of the CP and pemphigus sera reacted with the recombinant protein. CONCLUSION: The immunoblotting analysis using BP180 NC16a domain is a highly sensitive method without ambiguity in the diagnosis of subepidermal bullous skin diseases, and also is useful for the differential diagnosis of BP and HG from CP.
