Membrane attack complex (C5b-9 complex or Mac), is strongly present in lesional skin from patients with endemic pemphigus foliaceus in El Bagre, Colombia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

El Bagre endemic pemphigus foliaceus (El Bagre-EPF) is a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus present in the El Bagre area of Colombia, South America. Here, we investigate the presence of complement/C5-b9 in lesional skin of patients and matched controls from the endemic area. We also aim to compare the patient's autoantibody levels using indirect immunofluorescent titers (IIF) and correlate with the lesional presence of complement/C5b-9.

METHODS:

A case-control study was carried out by testing for the presence of complement/C5b-9 in lesional skin in 43 patients affected by El Bagre-EPF, as well as 43 matched, healthy controls from the endemic area. Skin biopsies were obtained and evaluated via hematoxylin and eosin staining, and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS:

The presence of complement/C5b-9 was observed in all cases of the patients affected by El Bagre-EPF and was not observed in the controls from the endemic area (P < 0.001). The patients' autoantibody titers utilizing IIF for IgG and IgM showed correlation between higher autoantibody titers and stronger intensity of staining with complement/C5-b9 staining (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION:

Patients affected by El Bagre-EPF have lesional deposition of complement/C5b, which correlates with disease severity and previously established serologies.

• Authors: Ana Maria Abreu-Velez, Yulieth A Upegui-Zapata, Carlos A Valencia-Yepes, Eduardo Upegui-Quiceno, Natalia-Regina Mesa-Herrera, Alejandra M Jiménez-Echavarria, César D N Pulido, Bruce R Smoller, Michael S Howard
• Journal: Journal of cutaneous pathology (J Cutan Pathol) Vol. 46 Issue 12 Pg. 925-929 (Dec 2019) ISSN: 1600-0560 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 31435955 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical References

• Autoantibodies
• complement C5b-6 complex
• Complement System Proteins

Topics

• Autoantibodies (immunology)
• Biopsy
• Case-Control Studies
• Colombia (epidemiology)
• Complement System Proteins (immunology)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry (instrumentation)
• Male
• Pemphigus (epidemiology, immunology, pathology)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Skin (pathology)
• Skin Diseases (epidemiology, immunology, pathology)