The relationship between facial annular erythema and anti-SS-A/Ro antibodies in three East Asian women

A distinct annular erythema developed on the cheeks of three East Asian women who had anti-SS-A/Ro (SSA) antibodies. The erythema was characterized by a wide, elevated border and central pallor. Histologically, there was a coat-sleeve-like infiltration of lymphocytes around the blood vessels, appendages, and secretory gland cells in the dermis. Immunohistological analysis clarified that the majority of infiltrating lymphocytes were CD4-positive T cells. Abnormal expression of HLA-DR antigens in the perivascular, appendage, and secretory gland cells in the dermis was also observed. The differential diagnosis of the three patients lay between Sjögren syndrome (SjS), Sjögren/systemic lupus erythematosus overlap syndrome and an asymptomatic clinical state. These results are consistent with recent findings of major histocompatibility complex class II expression on target organs in various autoimmune diseases. Based on these findings, erythema appears to represent a broad cutaneous manifestation of these diseases. Furthermore, the presence of SSA antibodies, aberrant HLA-DR expression, and sun exposure may be responsible for the development of erythema.