Ultrastructural skin alterations of healthy subjects with anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies in endemic areas to pemphigus foliaceus: A case series

Willy Ramos, Nancy Rojas, Alex G. Ortega-Loayza, Mercedes Tello, Gerardo Jiménez, Nicolás Cuba-Cáceres, Gerardo Ronceros, Jhony A. De La Cruz-Vargas, Víctor Juan Vera-Ponce, Nadia Guerrero, Ericson L. Gutierrez

Research output: Contribution to journalOriginal Articlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Endemic pemphigus foliaceus and endemic pemphigus vulgaris are autoimmune dermatologic disorders endemic to the Peruvian Amazon. Objective: To determine the ultrastructural skin alterations of three healthy subjects with anti DSG-1 antibodies in areas endemic to pemphigus foliaceus and pemphigus vulgaris in the Peruvian Amazon. Patients and methods: Case series carried out from data of three clinically healthy subjects positive to anti DSG-1 antibodies, from Peru. This study consists of a sub-analysis of data gathered in a previous study. Results: Ultrastructural results are presented from the skin biopsies of three clinically healthy patients positive to anti-desmoglein 1 (DSG-1) antibodies. High Resolution Optical Microscopy (HROM) showed the absence of acantholysis. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) showed the widening of intercellular space between keratinocytes, the presence of vacuoles in intercellular space with granular material and cytoplasmic vacuolization, loss of desmosome structure, loss of normal distribution among tonofilaments and lateral separation among cells in the stratum basale. Conclusion: According to our results, healthy subjects that present anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies can develop ultrastructural alterations that are visible through transmission electron microscopy but not through conventional optical microscopy.

Original languageAmerican English
Article number100208
JournalJournal of Translational Autoimmunity
Volume7
DOIs
StateIndexed - Dec 2023
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023

Keywords

  • Anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies
  • Endemic pemphigus foliaceus
  • Ultrastructural skin alterations

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