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Dermatological autoimmune diseases
_‘fburnalqf Autoimmunity (1991) 4,1
Dermatological Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune skin diseases are chronic, at times life-threatening, diseases associated with a high level of morbidity. Studies of these diseases during the past 10 years have provided a large quantity of information regarding immunopathogenesis, and immunogenetic associations, as well as molecular characteristics of their respective autoantigens. This issue of the Journal of Autoimmunity includes several contributions devoted to autoimmune skin diseases (pages l-l 12). Authors of national and international stature have contributed to this edition. Dr Luis Diaz and his colleagues, Drs Nicholas J. Calvanico and Mary Ann Robledo, have summarized the immunopathogenic features known to be operative in the disease pemphigus. Much of these data summarize ongoing work in their laboratory. Drs Grant Anhalt and Lynne Morrison have reviewed the bullous pemphigoid diseases and provide new data based upon their studies demonstrating the relationship between bullous pemphigoid and herpes gestationis. Dr Russell Hall has given a summary of the immunopathological mechanisms occurring in dermatitis herpetiformis and presents his recent immunogenetic data indicating the possible association of this disease with alleles at the DP locus‘of the major histocompatibility complex. Dr Ray Gammon has summarized a great deal of data that he and his colleagues have generated, demonstrating that epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is an autoimmune disease in which the patient is making autoantibodies against type VII collagen along the basement membrane zone. Dr Watson and her colleagues present information indicating that subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus is associated both with the expression of HLA DR2 and/or HLA DR3 phenotypes. Colleagues working in Dr Provost’s laboratory have evaluated the sensitivity of gel double diffusion versus a ‘sandwich’ ELISA technique detecting anti-Rio antibodies in systemic, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, and Sjbgren’s syndrome. Finally, Dr Frank Arnett has reviewed the immunogenetic features that are now known to be associated with autoimmune cutaneous diseases and presents new data that he and his colleague, Dr John Ravelle, have developed regarding the presence of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLPs) at the DQ locus in antiRo( SSA) antibody-positive lupus erythematosus patients. The editors are especially grateful to their colleagues for their excellent contributions and feel certain that the readers of this edition will gain deep appreciation of the advances in the studies of autoimmune cutaneous diseases.
Thomas T. Provost Department of Dermatology The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 08968411/91/010001+01$03.00/0
0 1991 Academic Press Limited
Dermatological Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune skin diseases are chronic, at times life-threatening, diseases associated with a high level of morbidity. Studies of these diseases during the past 10 years have provided a large quantity of information regarding immunopathogenesis, and immunogenetic associations, as well as molecular characteristics of their respective autoantigens. This issue of the Journal of Autoimmunity includes several contributions devoted to autoimmune skin diseases (pages l-l 12). Authors of national and international stature have contributed to this edition. Dr Luis Diaz and his colleagues, Drs Nicholas J. Calvanico and Mary Ann Robledo, have summarized the immunopathogenic features known to be operative in the disease pemphigus. Much of these data summarize ongoing work in their laboratory. Drs Grant Anhalt and Lynne Morrison have reviewed the bullous pemphigoid diseases and provide new data based upon their studies demonstrating the relationship between bullous pemphigoid and herpes gestationis. Dr Russell Hall has given a summary of the immunopathological mechanisms occurring in dermatitis herpetiformis and presents his recent immunogenetic data indicating the possible association of this disease with alleles at the DP locus‘of the major histocompatibility complex. Dr Ray Gammon has summarized a great deal of data that he and his colleagues have generated, demonstrating that epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is an autoimmune disease in which the patient is making autoantibodies against type VII collagen along the basement membrane zone. Dr Watson and her colleagues present information indicating that subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus is associated both with the expression of HLA DR2 and/or HLA DR3 phenotypes. Colleagues working in Dr Provost’s laboratory have evaluated the sensitivity of gel double diffusion versus a ‘sandwich’ ELISA technique detecting anti-Rio antibodies in systemic, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, and Sjbgren’s syndrome. Finally, Dr Frank Arnett has reviewed the immunogenetic features that are now known to be associated with autoimmune cutaneous diseases and presents new data that he and his colleague, Dr John Ravelle, have developed regarding the presence of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLPs) at the DQ locus in antiRo( SSA) antibody-positive lupus erythematosus patients. The editors are especially grateful to their colleagues for their excellent contributions and feel certain that the readers of this edition will gain deep appreciation of the advances in the studies of autoimmune cutaneous diseases.
Thomas T. Provost Department of Dermatology The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 08968411/91/010001+01$03.00/0
0 1991 Academic Press Limited