MARZANO , Angelo V

Bullous pemphigoid is the most common autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes. This disease typically affects the elderly and presents with itch and localised or generalised bullous lesions. In up to 20% of affected patients blister may be completely absent, and only excoriations, prurigo-like lesions,...

Pemphigus is a life threatening autoimmune epidermal blistering disease involving skin and mucous membranes. Pemphigus usually affects middle age men and women involving oral mucosa first and then spreading on the skin. It is caused by the presence of autoantibodies (IgG and less frequently by IgA) directed against desmogleins, and/or other...

Direct diagnosis of mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is not easy. Circulating autoantibodies targeting bullous pemphigoid antigens of 180 kDa and 230 kDa (BP180 and BP230), α6β4 integrin, laminin 332 and type VII collagen (Col VII) are not always present. The aims of this study were to characterize the humoral immune response of a cohort of...