Epidermolysis bullosa herpetiformis (Dowling-Meara type) exhibits ultrastructural derangement of tonofilaments and desmosomes

Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies of clinically intact skin obtained from three severe neonatal cases of epidermolysis bullosa herpetiformis (Dowling-Meara type) demonstrated disorders in the assembly of keratin intermediate filaments and desmosomes of the keratinocytes. During mitosis, K5- and K14-positive and K1- and K10-negative tonofilaments were disrupted and formed spherical bodies associated with intracytoplasmic desmosomes by invagination of the desmosomes and the adjacent plasma membrane. During the invagination process, destructive changes in the internalized membrane were noted. These were accompanied by gradual loss of reactivity with a monoclonal antibody ZK31, which detected plasma membrane adjacent to the attachment plaques of desmosomes. However, the reactivity of the attachment plaques of the internalized desmosomes for desmoplakins and desmoglein did not decline during the process of internalization. In the suprabasal layers of the epidermis, filamentous substructures and K1 and K10 appeared at the periphery of the spherical bodies. Simultaneously, the desmosomes that were sparsely located in the lower epidermis, increased in number as cell differentiation progressed. Thus, the keratinocytes attained an almost normal appearance with respect to tonofilaments and desmosomes by the time they reached the upper layer of the epidermis. These findings may be relevant to the mechanism responsible for the clinical appearance of the herpetiform blisters in epidermolysis bullosa herpetiformis, which are also characterized by spontaneous involution during childhood or when exposed to high ambient temperatures.Part of this work was presented at the annual meeting of the Japanese Society for Ultrastructural Cutaneous Biology, 12 May 1990, Tokushima, Japan, at the joint meeting of the Society for Cutaneous Ultrastructure Research and the Japanese Society for Ultrastructural Cutaneous Biology, 23–25 May 1991, Vienna, Austria, and at the sixth Conference on Disorders of Keratinization, 6 July 1991, Tokyo, Japan     

Empfehlungen für die Anwendung der Immunapherese bei der Therapie bullöser Autoimmundermatosen

The etiology of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is unknown. EBA may be associated with other autoim‐mune systemic diseases; it also has been described in connection with different malignant tumors, showing complete remission after successful treatment of the tumor.In such cases, EBA may be regarded as a paraneo‐plastic dermatosis. We detected a highly differentiated neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer in a 78‐year‐old woman with EBA. Even thought her tumor was completely removed and the patient has been disease‐free for over seven years, a complete regression of her autoimmune bullous dermatosis could not be induced. By using intravenous immunoglobulins in combination with mycophenolate mofetil, further blister formation could be ameliorated.     

The molecular basis for inherited bullous diseases

In the past 5 years enormous progress have been made in our understanding of the molecular basis for a number of inherited skin diseases characterized by easy blistering of the skin and the mucous membranes after minor physical trauma. This increased fragility of the skin or its appendages is due to molecular defects in genes coding for different intra- and extracellular structural proteins which are responsible for mechanical strength at their sites of expression. These diseases encompass the group of epidermolysis bullosa and disorders of cornification such as bullous forms of ichthyosis, palmoplantar keratoderma, and pachyonychia congenita. On the basis of clinical, morphological, and ultrastructural observations the epidermolysis bullosa group has been divided into three major categories. In epidermolysis bullosa simplex blister formation appears within the basal cell layer of the epidermis, and many mutations have been found in the genes of keratin 5 and 14 which are both expressed in basal keratinocytes. Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis leads to an epidermal separation in the suprabasal cell layers. In these patients numerous point mutations have now been described in the suprabasally expressed genes of keratin 1 and 10. In ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens blisters occur in the more upper suprabasal epidermis coincidental with the expression of keratin 2e, and mutations have been detected in the corresponding gene. In epidermolytic palmoplantar hyperkeratosis the suprabasal epidermal splitting is restricted to palms and soles of the patient. In keratin 9, which reveals such an exclusive expression pattern, molecular defects have indeed been recognized. Most recently in two different clinical subtypes of pachyonychia congenita, which is characterized by defective nails and focal palmoplantar hyperkeratosis, point mutations have been found in the genes coding for keratins 6, 16, and 17. In junctional epidermolysis bullosa the separation takes place within the dermal-epidermal basement membrane at the level of the lamina lucida, and mutations have been found in three genes coding for different laminin chains, in the ₄ gene of ₆₄ integrin, and in the gene of collagen XVII. In dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa the tissue separation occurs beneath the basement membrane within the papillary dermis at the level of the anchoring fibrils, and several mutations have been identified in the collagen VII gene. The rapid unraveling of molecular defects in these disabling or even lethal inherited skin diseases makes possible a more precise and earlier prenatal diagnosis, creates new options for suitable therapeutic regimens, and even offers the hope of curing these diseases by means of somatic cell gene therapy.Abbreviations BM Basement membrane - BPAg Bullous pemphigoid antigen - DEB Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa - EB Epidermolysis bullosa - EBS Epidermolysis bullosa simplex - EHK Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis - EPPK Epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma - IBS Ichthyosis bullosa of Siemens - JEB Junctional epidermolysis bullosa - KIF Keratin intermediate filaments - NC Noncollagenous domain - NEPPK Nonepidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma - PC Pachyonychia congenita     

A case of esophageal complication in epidermolysis bulhosa simplex

It is well known the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract in Epidermolysis Bulhosa (EB) and its consequences on both nutrition and growth. We present a case of a young girl with EB diagnosed soon after birth, admitted to our emergency room with food impactation. The endoscopy revealed a double barrel esophagus. No medical or surgical therapy was started and after 2 months of enteric feeding, spontaneous resolution was observed at endoscopy. Skin biopsy was compatible with EB Simplex. According to the literature EB Simplex is the subtype the least associated with GI tract involvement, presenting with dysphagia in only 2% of the patients, and with the lowest cumulative risk of esophageal stricturing.     

一例横纹肌溶解症并大疱性表皮松解症病人的护理

<正>横纹肌溶解症(Rhabdomyolysis)是指任何原因引起的广泛横纹肌细胞坏死,其结果是肌细胞内容物外漏至细胞外液及血液循环中,并可导致急性肾功能衰竭、电解质紊乱等一系列并发症,病情凶险,预后差。诊断标准:血清肌酸肌酶(CK)2 000U/L。临床表现为肌强直或疼痛、重症肌无力、尿色异常。最常见的是胖肠肌和腰背部肌肉出现痉挛性疼痛、压痛、肌无力[1]。大疱性表皮松解     

营养不良性大疱性表皮松解症COL7A1基因诊断及产前诊断

目的 分析2个营养不良性大疱性表皮松解症(DEB)家系致病基因COL7A1基因突变位点,并在此基础上探讨COL7A1基因分析用于产前诊断的可行性.方法 应用全基因捕获新一代测序(NGS)对2013年10月和2014年4月在郑州大学第一附属医院就诊的2个DEB家系中2例先证者COL7A1基因进行全基因突变检测,获得变异序列后,针对所检出变异序列进行PCR扩增后Sanger双向测序对2个DEB家系中2例先证者及其父母和100名健康个体的COL7A1基因序列进行突变验证分析,确定致病突变后,对其中1个家系中的高危胎儿进行孕早期产前诊断.结果 共发现4种COL7A1基因突变:c.5230G ＞T (p.E1744X)、c.5932C ＞T (p.R1978X)、c.5605-10 T＞G(IVS66-10 T＞G)、c.8305-1G＞A(IVS110-1G＞A).其中p.E1744X、IVS66-10 T＞G和IVS110-1G＞A为国际首次报道的突变.家系1中先证者携带COL7A1基因p.E1744X和p.R1978X无义突变,父母分别为杂合突变携带者;家系2中先证者携带COL7A1基因IVS66-10T＞G和IVS110-1G ＞A剪接区突变,父母分别为杂合突变携带者;100名健康个体未检测到上述突变.家系1中产前诊断胎儿携带与其先证者相同的突变为受累胎儿,胎儿父母选择治疗性引产术后,取胎儿标本行基因诊断,结果与产前诊断相同.结论 COL7A1基因突变是该2个DEB家系的致病原因,NGS结合Sanger测序方法可以快速且准确地进行该病的基因诊断和产前诊断.     

Suprathel®‐assisted surgical treatment of the hand in a dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa patient

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a progressive familial disorder composed of dermal mucosal blisters, flexion contractures and pseudosyndactylies. Flexion contractures and pseudosyndactyly can be treated with surgery but usually require skin grafting. Because of poor wound healing, skin graft harvesting is a challenge in these patients. In order to prevent donor‐site morbidities due to skin graft harvesting some alloplastic materials were introduced. In this study, we focused on Suprathel^® as a new allograft material for covering the skin defects of a patient with dystrophic EB.     

Locally advanced tongue squamous cell carcinoma in epidermolysis simplex bullosa patient: a therapeutic conundrum

Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) is a debilitating condition affecting the skin and mucous membranes that is characterised by frequent ulceration and blistering on trivial trauma. In EBS, oral cavity mucosal injuries lead to a high propensity for developing squamous cell carcinomas. Locally advanced tongue carcinoma arising in this background presents a challenging therapeutic conundrum. To our knowledge, this is the first case of aggressive locally advanced tongue carcinoma that has developed sporadically in a patient with EBS and no family history. Routine screening of oral mucosal lesions will lead to early detection and timely management of this debilitating condition.