Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Autoimmune blistering skin disease in adult cats like human bullous
By Olivry, T et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·1999·Department of Companion Animal and Special Species, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Novel feline autoimmune blistering disease resembling bullous pemphigoid in humans: IgG autoantibodies target the NC16A ectodomain of type XVII collagen (BP180/BPAG2).
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Two adult cats were diagnosed with a rare autoimmune skin condition that caused painful blisters and sores in their mouths and on their skin. The symptoms included skin vesicles (small fluid-filled blisters), erosions, and ulcers, which were confirmed through skin biopsies showing inflammation. Blood tests revealed that their immune systems were mistakenly attacking a specific protein in their skin. This condition is similar to a disease seen in humans and dogs, and while the treatment details weren't specified, managing autoimmune conditions typically involves immunosuppressive therapies.
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Abstract
In humans and dogs, bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering disease associated with the production of basement membrane autoantibodies that target the 180-kd type XVII collagen (BP180, BPAG2) and/or the 230-kd plakin epidermal isoform BPAG1e (BP230). In two adult cats, an acquired dermatosis and stomatitis was diagnosed as BP subsequent to the fulfillment of the following criteria: 1) presence of cutaneous vesicles, erosions, and ulcers; 2) histologic demonstration of subepidermal vesiculation with inflammatory cells, including eosinophils; 3) in vivo deposition of IgG autoantibodies at the epidermal basement membrane zone; and 4) serum IgG autoantibodies targeting a 180-kd epidermal protein identified as type XVII collagen. In both cats, the antigenic epitopes targeted by IgG autoantibodies were shown to be situated in the NC16A ectodomain of type XVII collagen, a situation similar to that of humans and dogs with BP. Feline BP therefore can be considered a clinical, histopathologic, and immunologic homologue of BP in humans and dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10421100/