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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Canine pemphigus foliaceus linked to desmocollin-1 autoantigen

By Bizikova, Petra et al.·Published in Veterinary immunology and immunopathology·2012·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Cloning and establishment of canine desmocollin-1 as a major autoantigen in canine pemphigus foliaceus.

Species:
dog
Skin & coatDogs

Plain-English summary

A group of dogs with pemphigus foliaceus, an autoimmune skin disease, had their blood tested for a specific protein called desmocollin-1 (DSC1) that triggers the condition. Out of 85 dogs with this disease, 75 had antibodies against DSC1, indicating it plays a significant role in their skin problems. As these dogs received treatment, the levels of these antibodies decreased, which corresponded with improvements in their skin condition. This suggests that targeting DSC1 could be important for managing pemphigus foliaceus in dogs.

People also search for: dog autoimmune skin disease · pemphigus foliaceus treatment · dog skin problems antibodies

Abstract

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is the most common antibody-mediated autoimmune skin disease of dogs. Desmoglein-1 (DSG1), the major human PF antigen, represents only a minor autoantigen in canine PF (cPF). A recent immunomapping study proposed desmocollin-1 (DSC1) as a relevant candidate autoantigen for cPF. To investigate this hypothesis, 85 cPF sera were screened for the presence of anti-DSC1 IgG using indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) on live canine DSC1-transfected 293T cells. Seventy-five sera contained detectable antikeratinocyte IgG on IIF using footpad substrate (IIFpos cPF), while 10 did not (IIFneg cPF). Sera from 35 healthy dogs, eight from exfoliative superficial pyoderma (ESP)-affected dogs and 21 dogs with non-PF autoimmune blistering skin diseases served as controls. All sera were tested concurrently by IIF on canine DSG1-transfected as well as nontransfected cells. None of the healthy dog or ESP sera labelled any of the transfected or nontransfected cells. Fifty-seven of 75 IIFpos cPF (86%) and 7/10 of IIFneg cPF sera (70%) contained detectable anti-DSC1 IgG. None of these sera recognized nontransfected cells. Five cPF sera (6%) recognized DSG1 in addition to DSC1. Finally, 5/21 (24%) sera from dogs with non-PF autoimmune blistering diseases contained low anti-DSC1 IgG titers. In 7/10 dogs (70%), from whom serial serum samples were collected during treatment, anti-DSC1 IgG titers decreased in parallel with the reduction in disease clinical severity. Altogether, these findings suggest that DSC1 is a major autoantigen in cPF.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22884397/