Korean J Dermatol.  2007 Jul;45(7):650-658.

A Study of Apoptosis in Pemphigus Vulgaris

• Roh BH
• Whang KU
• Cho MK
• Park YL
• Lee JS
• Lee CW

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune bullous dermatoses of skin and mucosa characterized by loss of adhesion between keratinocytes, a process known as acantholysis. Apoptosis, programmed cell death, may participate in pathogenesis of intercellular detachment and loss of cell-matrix interaction.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the induction of apoptosis in the pemphigus lesional epidermis and to elucidate the mechanism of apoptosis induced by pemphigus sera.
METHODS
Hoechst 33342 staining was performed to determine the induction of apoptosis in the pemphigus lesional epidermis. In addition, we used HaCaT cells treated with pemphigus sera and analyzed the expression of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9 and bcl-2, bcl-xL, bax, bak by the RT-PCR method.
RESULTS
In Hoechst 33342 staining, typical findings of apoptosis were observed in the pemphigus lesional epidermis showing acantholysis. RT-PCR showed the upregulation of caspase group (caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9), the downregulation of antiapoptotic bcl-2 family (bcl-2, bcl-xL) and the upregulation of proapoptotic bcl-2 family (bax, bak).
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that apoptosis may be associated with acantholysis of pemphigus lesional epidermis and may play an important role in the pathogenesis of pemphigus.

Keyword

Acantholysis; Apoptosis; Bcl-2; Caspase; Pemphigus vulgaris

MeSH Terms

Acantholysis
Apoptosis*
Caspase 3
Caspase 8
Caspase 9
Cell Death
Down-Regulation
Epidermis
Humans
Keratinocytes
Mucous Membrane
Pemphigus*
Skin
Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous
Up-Regulation
Caspase 3
Caspase 8
Caspase 9