A case of bullous pemphigoid successfully treated by plasmapheresis: assessment of the change in titers of circulating antibodies by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

J Dermatol. 2003 Apr;30(4):326-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1346-8138.2003.tb00395.x.

Abstract

We report a case of bullous pemphigoid successfully treated with double filtration plasmapheresis. The changes in titers of circulating autoantibodies were assessed by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a recombinant protein of the non-collagenous 16a (NC16a) domain of the 180 kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen (BP180). The ELISA was shown to be more sensitive in detecting disease-specific antoantibodies in the bullous pemphigoid sera. The reduction of titers of circulating autoantibodies in the sera correlated well with the decrease in the disease activity in both the first and second rounds of plasmapheresis treatment in this case.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autoantibodies / analysis
  • Autoantigens / analysis*
  • Carrier Proteins*
  • Collagen / analysis*
  • Collagen Type XVII
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins*
  • Dystonin
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins*
  • Non-Fibrillar Collagens*
  • Pemphigoid, Bullous / immunology*
  • Pemphigoid, Bullous / therapy*
  • Plasmapheresis / methods*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoantigens
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • DST protein, human
  • Dystonin
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Non-Fibrillar Collagens
  • Collagen