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Functional involvement of urokinase‐type plasminogen activator receptor in pemphigus acantholysis
Author(s) -
Xue Wei,
Hashimoto Ken,
Toi Yoichiro
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0560.1998.tb01777.x
Subject(s) - acantholysis , pemphigus , plasminogen activator , urokinase , pathology , medicine , urokinase receptor , receptor , dermatology , immunology , antibody , autoantibody
Urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (uPA) has been well documented in the development of pemphigus acantholysis. The function of its receptor (uPA‐R) in pemphigus acantholysis has only recently attracted attention. Increased expression of uPA‐R has been demonstrated in pemphigus vulgaris. In this study, we have further explored the functional involvement of uPA‐R in pemphigus acantholysis. Our results show that uPA‐R expression is significantly increased in acantholytic foci of pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus but not in bullous pemphigoid or normal skin specimens; the expression of uPA‐R in cultured human keratinocytes is subjected to regulation by pemphigus vulgaris IgG but not by pemphigoid IgG or normal human IgG; furthermore, anti‐uPA‐R monoclonal antibody effectively inhibits pemphigus vulgaris IgG induced acantholysis in skin organ cultures. These data suggest that uPA‐R may play an important role in the pathogenesis of pemphigus acantholysis.