L’essentiel de l’information scientifique et médicale www.jle.com Le sommaire de ce numéro http://www.john-libbey-eurotext.fr/fr/ revues/medecine/ejd/sommaire.md?type= text.html Montrouge, le 07/15/2011 Ana Maria ABREU VELEZ Vous trouverez ci-après le tiré à part de votre article au format électronique (pdf) : Antibodies to pilosebaceous units along their neurovascular supply routes in a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus in Colombia, South America paru dans European Journal of Dermatology, 2011, Volume 21, Numéro 3 John Libbey Eurotext Ce tiré à part numérique vous est délivré pour votre propre usage et ne peut être transmis à des tiers qu’à des fins de recherches personnelles ou scientifiques. En aucun cas, il ne doit faire l’objet d’une distribution ou d’une utilisation promotionnelle, commerciale ou publicitaire. Tous droits de reproduction, d’adaptation, de traduction et de diffusion réservés pour tous pays. © John Libbey Eurotext, 2011 Eur J Dermatol 2011; 21(3): 371-5 Investigative report Antibodies to pilosebaceous units along their neurovascular supply routes in a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus in Colombia, South America t of Reprints: A.M. Abreu Velez <abreuvelez@yahoo.com> Senear Usher syndrome is a variant of pemphigus foliaceus, confined to seborrheic sites and considered to be a clinical overlap syndrome, with features of both pemphigus foliaceus and lupus erythematosus. We recently described autoantibodies to skin eyelid meibomian glands in patients with a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus (El Bagre EPF) in South America. We tested for El Bagre EPF patient sera autoreactivity to pilosebaceous units utilizing direct and indirect immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of skin biopsies revealed that one third of the patients affected by El Bagre-EPF demonstrated some histologic alteration of the pilosebaceous units. By immunohistochemistry, most El Bagre EPF biopsies demonstrated evidence of an autoimmune response along the neural and vascular supply routes of the pilosebaceous units. An active immune response was seen with antibodies such as anti-human mast cell tryptase, myeloid/histoid antigen, CD8, CD20, CD68, CD117/c-kit, ZAP-70 and vimentin. Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated autoantibodies within the hair follicle and at the basement membrane area of the sebaceous glands. El Bagre-EPF patients have autoantibodies to pilosebaceous units and to their surrounding neurovascular packages. Our results warrant further characterization and may explain the loss of hair described in severe endemic pemphigus foliaceus before the therapeutic steroid era. rin 1 Georgia Dermatopathology Associates, Atlanta, Georgia, USA 2 Robert P. Apkarian Integrated Electron Microscopy Core, Emory University Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia 3 Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia 4 Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA fp Ana Maria ABREU VELEZ1 Hong YI2 Weiqing GAO3 Bruce R. SMOLLER4 Hans E. GROSSNIKLAUS3 Michael S. HOWARD1 S or th Article accepted on 2/17/2011 enear-Usher syndrome (SUS), also known as pemphigus erythematosus (PE), seborrheic pemphigus (SP), or pemphigus erythematodes of Pusey, is known to be a variant of pemphigus foliaceus (PF) confined to seborrheic sites (e.g., face, scalp, upper chest, ears and neck). PE is an overlap syndrome with features of both lupus erythematosus (LE) and PF [1-9]. Pemphigus foliaceus is characterized by epidermal acantholysis, and immunoglobulin deposits in an intercellular staining pattern (ICS) between epidermal keratinocytes [1-9]. The lupus erythematosus component is demonstrated by circulating antinuclear antibodies in about one third of the patients, and sometimes by immunoglobulin and complement deposits at the dermal/epidermal basement membrane zone (BMZ) [1-9]. PE and pemphigus foliaceus are commonly present in cats and dogs in the endemic areas of human fogo selvagem (FS) [10]. Although absent on the palms and soles, sebaceous glands are generally found over most of the body [11-17]. We Au doi:10.1684/ejd.2011.1310 Key words: pilosebaceous units, endemic pemphigus foliaceus, velo-cardio-facial syndrome (ARVCF), desmoplakins I and II, plakophilin 4 (p0071) antibody described an endemic form of pemphigus foliaceus (El Bagre-EPF) that resembles seborrheic pemphigus, where patients predominantly show clinical lesions in the seborrheic areas [18-24]. The disease presents in middle-aged and older men and postmenopausal women from rural areas [18-24]. Before the therapeutic steroid era, several authors reported that severely affected patients with FS developed hair thinning, hair loss, and ectropic, friable eyelids [25]. Given that El Bagre-EPF mainly affects seborrheic areas, and also given our recent discovery of autoantibodies to the meibomian glands in patients affected by El Bagre-EPF [26], we decided to test for autoreactivity to pilosebaceous units and sebaceous glands utilizing direct and indirect immunofluorescence (DIF and IIF), immunohistochemistry (IHC), confocal microscopy (CFM) and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) assays. We also searched for histologic alterations involving these structures utilizing hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. 371 EJD, vol. 21, n◦ 3, May-June 2011 To cite this article: Abreu Velez AM, Yi H, Gao W, Smoller BR, Grossniklaus HE, Howard MS. Antibodies to pilosebaceous units along their neurovascular supply routes in a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus in Colombia, South America. Eur J Dermatol 2011; 21(3): 371-5 doi:10.1684/ejd.2011.1310 © John Libbey Eurotext, 2011 Materials and methods Immunoabsorption of autoreactivity using commercial peptides directed against desmogleins 1 and 3 (Dsg 1 and 3) Subjects t In order to evaluate the reactivity seen within the hair follicles and/or sebaceous glands, we pre-incubated the sera of the patients with commercial peptides directed against the ectodomains of both Dsg1 and Dsg3 for one hour at differential volumes, as previously described [19]. We then titrated the sera reactivities via IIF until reaching a point where the intercellular staining between keratinocytes was not detected [19]. We then used these pre-adsorbed sera against Dsg1 and Dsg3 to conduct further investigative assays. rin Image analysis of co-localization of El Bagre-EPF autoantibodies in sebaceous glands utilizing confocal microscopy (CFM) fp To further study possible reactivity and co-localization of the patients’ autoantibodies with sebaceous glands, we utilized confocal microscopy examinations with standard 20× and 40× objective lenses; each photoframe included an area of approximately 440 × 330 m. Image data was converted to TIF format, and interpreted with EZ 1 Viewer image analysis software. Indirect immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) Testing was performed as previously described [20]. Statistical methods H&E or of A case control study was performed. We studied twenty patients who fulfilled the diagnosis of El Bagre-EPF based upon clinical, epidemiological, histopathological and immunological criteria formerly reported by us and others [18-24]. Skin biopsies were taken from the patients’ seborrheic areas, and examined by H&E, DIF, IIF, CFM, IHC and IEM. El Bagre-EPF was considered to have the clinical following features: patients lived in the endemic area, and demonstrated 1) intercellular staining between keratinocytes as detected by DIF and IIF utilizing antihuman total IgG and/or IgG4 antibodies, and 2) positive staining of the BMZ of the dermal/epidermal junction with either IgG, IgM or Complement/C3 as previously described by us and others [18-24]. In addition, to be considered a case of El Bagre-EPF, the patient sera had to immunoprecipitate the ectodomain of desmoglein 1 (Dsg1), utilizing a Concanavalin-A affinity purified bovine tryptic fragment of 45 kDa [18-24]. Sera from all patients and controls from the endemic area were also tested by immunoblotting for reactivity against skin extracts. In order to be considered a case of El Bagre-EPF, it was necessary to show positivity to Dsg1, to desmoglein 3 (Dsg3), desmoplakin, periplakin and to other, unknown antigens [18-24]. To be considered a case of El Bagre EPF, the samples were also required to test positive in the El Bagre-EPF ELISA test previously reported [18-24]. Sera from sporadic PF cases and two paraneoplastic pemphigus patients were utilized as positive controls. We also tested the sera and skin of twenty control patients from the endemic area matched by age, sex, work activity and living area. Twenty normal sera from the United States were used as negative controls. We obtained informed consent from all patients and complied with Institutional Review Board requirements. DIF, IIF th Staining was performed as previously described [23]. In the El Bagre-EPF cases the biopsies were taken from active lesions, predominately from the upper chest. Normal control biopsies were also taken from the upper chest. Au Studies were performed as previously described [22-24]. In addition, we tested for the anti-armadillo repeat deleted gene in velo-cardio-facial syndrome (ARVCF) antibody, the antibody against combined desmoplakins I and II (DPIDPII) and plakophilin 4 (p0071) antibody (all from Progen, Heidelberg, Germany). These molecules were all conjugated with Texas red. Our autometallographic studies were performed as previously described [21]. IHC IHC studies were performed as previously described [22-24]. We utilized anti-human mast cell tryptase (MCT), myeloid/histoid antigen, CD8, CD20, CD68, CD117/c-kit, ZAP-70 and vimentin antibodies. 372 Autoantibodies to the sebaceous glands were statistically analyzed using Student’s t-test to evaluate differences in morphology, and to interpret the images. We considered a correlation a p-value of 0.05 or less, utilizing a normal distribution of the samples. Results Clinical lesions The physical examination in all El Bagre-EPF patients revealed lesions typically involving the scalp, face, upper part of the chest, neck, periumbilical area and inside the ears. Often, we detected hyperkeratotic plaques in the seborrheic areas; occasionally we observed small, flaccid bullae with scaling, crusting, and hyperpigmentation. Selected cases demonstrated a thick, greasy, yellowish scale crust. Of note, alopecia of the scalp was noticed in two cases, characterized by extensive and generalized lesions. H&E of the skin biopsies revealed that about one third of the patients affected by El Bagre-EPF showed some degree of alteration of either the pilosebaceous units, or of histologically solitary sebaceous glands. The alterations included a lymphohistiocytic infiltrate at the edges of hair follicular units, and hyalinization of dermal collagen around these structures (figure 1). The hyalinization was particularly noticed on periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining, and also highlighted with IHC utilizing anti-human vimentin antibody. Follicular plugging of the pilosebaceous units was also noted. The changes in the sebaceous glands consisted of focal degeneration of the sebocytes. The blood vessels around the hair follicular units were dilated, and distended © John Libbey Eurotext, 2011 EJD, vol. 21, n◦ 3, May-June 2011 I E F G H I J K L M N K L O P Figure 2. CFM images (A, B and O). A) and B) Positive CFM staining utilizing rhodamine conjugated Complement/C1q (red staining, yellow arrows) around the BMZ of the sebaceous glands. Sebocyte nuclei were counterstained with Dapi (blue staining). C) Positive DIF staining of FITC conjugated Complement/C1q around sebaceous gland peripheral areas using polarized light microscopy (yellow staining, red arrows). D) IHC staining fibrinogen around the sebaceous glands (brown staining, blue arrows). E) IIF positive staining with FITC conjugated anti-human IgM at the BMZ of the sebaceous glands and some intrasebaceous structures (yellow staining, white arrow). In F), similar to E), but utilizing FITC conjugated anti-human IgG (faint yellow staining, white arrows); nuclei are counterstained with TO-PRO® -3/DNA in orange. G) Positive staining with MCT around blood vessels surrounding sebaceous glands (brown staining, blue arrows). H) IHC showing positive anti-human IgE staining around the sebaceous gland (brown staining, blue arrows). I) Positive myeloid histoid around sebaceous glands (brown staining, red arrows). J) Positive staining for HAM 56, antibody, clustered around sebaceous glands (brown staining, black arrows). K) Positive staining for albumin, clustered around a hair follicular unit (brown staining, blue arrow). L) Positive staining for Complement/C4 around sebaceous glands and surrounding blood vessels (brown staining, blue arrows). M) Positive staining for CD68 around a pilosebaceous unit and surrounding blood vessels (brown staining, black arrows). N) Positive staining for CD20 around sebaceous glands and surrounding blood vessels (brown staining, black arrows). O) CFM showing positive staining around a sebaceous gland utilizing FITC conjugated anti-human IgM (green staining, yellow arrow). Sebaceous glands nuclei were counterstained with TO-PRO® -3/DNA in red. P) Positive staining around the BMZ area of the sebaceous glands utilizing anti-human fibrinogen (dark brown staining, black arrow). or of Figure 1. A) Clinical lesions around the ear. In B), A perisebaceous lymphohistocytic infiltrate is noted by H&E, without evidence of collagen alteration (black arrow). C) IHC staining with MCT around blood vessels surrounding the hair follicle (brown staining, black arrows). D) Gomori Trichrome stain shows accentuation of blue collagen staining around a sebaceous glands (blue arrows). E) H&E of accentuated collagen and inflammatory infiltration around a pilosebaceous unit (black arrow). F) Compartmentalization of vimentin around the hair follicular unit (brown staining, red arrow). G) CFM showing IgG positive staining around sebaceous glands (yellow staining, white arrow). The nuclei of the sebaceous glands are represented in the center of the image in the blue-green area. H) DIF staining of FITC conjugated Complement/C3 on the deep edge of a sebaceous gland (green staining, white arrow). I) Stain of a BMZ of a sebaceous gland with FITC conjugated Complement/C3c (green-white staining, white arrows). J) Staining with anti-human IgM antibody on the periphery of a sebaceous gland, and clustered around a nearby blood vessel (brown staining, blue arrows). K) Staining around a sebaceous glands utilizing anti-human IgG (brown staining, blue arrows). L) ZAP 70 positive staining at the BMZ of the sebaceous glands and inside (brown stain) (blue arrows). t H G J D D C F C rin E B B fp A A Au th with a lymphohistiocytic infiltrate (figures 1, 2). Occasionally, the sebaceous glands were partially or completely destroyed and in some, we noticed an infundibular folliculitis. No alterations in the sebaceous glands were seen in the controls. Classic EPF acantholysis was detected in new and active lesions, but not in biopsies taken from the controls. Utilizing DIF and IIF, were able to visualize a polyclonal immune response to the pilosebaceous structures, most commonly with IgG, IgM, Complement/C1q, C3c, C3d, and C4. IgE, fibrinogen, albumin, and IgA were also noticed. In all slides demonstrating IgE positivity, mast cell tryptase and CD117/c-kit antibodies were also present, clustered around the neurovascular bundles surrounding solitary sebaceous glands and pilosebaceous units (figures 1, 2). Moreover, we noted that most primary reactivity near the sebaceous glands was directed against their neurovascular packages. In figure 3A, we found positive staining EJD, vol. 21, n◦ 3, May-June 2011 © John Libbey Eurotext, 2011 373 A B E F to be a more common type of autoimmune blistering disease in cats and dogs, due to their higher concentrations of sebaceous glands and/or pilosebaceous units [10]. In Brazil, where FS is common, a large reference laboratory at the University of São Paulo has compiled large numbers of cases of canine PF and PE, and a few of feline PF and PE [10]. The number of animals affected by Brazilian PF is high in comparison with the prevalence of the disease in other countries [10]. The sebaceous glands play an important role in the metabolism and control of sex hormones, human growth hormone, melanocyte stimulating factor, adrenocorticotropic hormone and additional pituitary hormones, including prolactin [11-14]. High temperatures also induce changes in these glands, and the El Bagre-EPF endemic area is one of high temperature and humidity [18]. In addition, we have shown that people living in the endemic area of El Bagre EPF are exposed to high levels of mercuric selenides and iodides; [21] we were further able to observe the presence of these metals within the sebaceous glands [21]. Before the therapeutic steroid era, histologic alterations of sebaceous glands were found in patients affected with FS. The alterations included atrophy and reabsorption, as described above. In addition to the sebaceous glands, mammary atrophy and several endocrinopathies were documented [25]. Of importance, El Bagre EPF displays features of both lupus erythrematosus and pemphigus [18]. In patients with lupus erythematosus on the face, especially on the nose, removal of scaly skin lesions may yield the peculiar finding of numerous projecting processes on their inner surfaces, which represent widened mouths of sebaceous gland follicles [27]. Dr Ferdinand Hebra (1816-1880), reasoning from the finding of these distended and plugged sebaceous gland follicles, suggested a connection of the disease with these glands [27]. Thus, in lupus erythematosus, as in El Bagre EPF, there seems to be anatomically selective pathologic changes, with these changes being found in and around the sweat and sebaceous glands [27-29]. The sebaceous glands are richly innervated, largely via sympathetic nerves. We recently reported the presence of autoantibodies directed against nerves and mechanoreceptors in the skin, as corroborated in this study [20]. In addition, we suggest that since sebaceous glands also have receptors for sex hormones, this may explain why El BagreEPF does not affect children, and rarely affects selected post-menopausal females [18-24]. Further, we had previously demonstrated the presence of several autoantibodies to plakins (e.g. DPI, DPII, periplakin and envoplakin) in El Bagre EPF [19, 20]. These plakin molecules are in turn embedded within the sebaceous glands, and interact with ceramides [17]. Thus, this interaction may lead to epitope spreading on some lipid-related antigens [30]. Other research indicates that involucrin, envoplakin and periplakin serve as substrates for ester linkage attachments of ceramides to the cornified envelope, enhancing the barrier function quality of human epidermis [30]. Finally, we found positive staining within the sebaceous glands in proximity to the inflammatory infiltrate. Zeta-chain-associated protein (ZAP-70) is adaptor protein that acts quickly after T cell activation to propagate signals from the TCR: CD3 complex [32]. ZAP-70 is essential for a proper and complete T cell immune response [31, 32], rin t D C 200 nm H of Figure 3. Shows colocalization of El Bagre-EPF patient sera with some molecules of the p120 catenin family, and with DPI and DPII. Also, we demonstrate autoantibodies in the sebaceous glands utilizing IEM. (See Results section for detailed captions). fp G Au th or against the neurovascular supply of a sebaceous gland utilizing FITC conjugated anti-human IgG antibody (yellow staining, white arrow), with simultaneous staining at the BMZ of the sebaceous gland (yellow staining, light blue arrow). In figure 3B, we demonstrate exact colocalization of El Bagre-EPF antibodies with p0071 antibody (orange dots, white arrows). In figure 3C, we also show exact colocalization of El Bagre-EPF patient sera with the reactivity of Texas red conjugated DP-I and DP-II antibodies, in areas surrounding the neurovascular package of the gland (red staining, yellow arrow). The sebaceous gland nuclei are counterstained in blue with Dapi. In figure 3D, we show an IEM at 200 kV demonstrating the presence of a single 10 nanometer Gold particle in the BMZ of the sebaceous gland (red arrow). In figure 3E, we present a 10kV IEM image of the same gland. In figure 3F, we show positive staining to Texas red conjugated ARVCF antibody, colocalizing with El Bagre-EPF patient sera inside a sebaceous gland (red staining, yellow arrow). Finally, in figure 3G and figure 3H, an IEM of the skin at low and high magnification, respectively, in an area surrounding the hair follicle. The red arrow in figure 3G (50 kV) indicates the area (near the lower right hair follicle) where in figure 3H (150kV), 10 nm Gold particles are found close to a desmosome (green arrow) and within myxoid connective tissue (red arrow). Discussion Seborrheic pemphigus and pemphigus foliaceus are rare in humans [1-8]. However, these two kinds of pemphigus seem 374 © John Libbey Eurotext, 2011 EJD, vol. 21, n◦ 3, May-June 2011 and thus our data may highlight a specific immune response against pilosebaceous units in this new variant of El Bagre-EPF. t Disclosure. Declaration of funding sources: All work was performed with funding from Georgia Dermatopathology Associates (GDA) (Dr. Howard). The El Bagre-EPF samples were collected through previous grants from the Embassy of Japan in Colombia, Mineros de Antioquia SA, Hospital Nuestra Senora del Carmen, Medellin, Colombia, South America (Dr. Abreu Velez). Conflict of interest: none. 15. Montagna W, Ellis RA. Cholinergic innervation of the Meibomian glands. Anat Rec 1959; 135: 121-7. 16. Lyuben N, Marekov LN, Steinert PM. Ceramides are bound to structural proteins of the human foreskin epidermal cornified cell envelope. J Biol Chem 1998; 273: 17763-70. 17. Abreu-Velez AM, Hashimoto T, Bollag WB, et al. A unique form of endemic pemphigus in northern Colombia. J Am Acad Dermatol 2003; 49: 599-608. 18. Abréu-Vélez AM, Patiño PJ, Montoya F, Bollag WB. The tryptic cleavage product of the mature form of the bovine desmoglein 1 ectodomain is one of the antigen moieties immunoprecipitated by all sera from symptomatic patients affected by a new variant of endemic pemphigus. Eur J Dermatol 2003; 13: 359-66. 19. Abréu-Vélez AM, Beutner E, Montoya F, et al. Analyses of autoantigens in a new form of endemic pemphigus foliaceus in Colombia. J Am Acad Dermatol 2003; 49: 609-14. 20. Abreu-Velez AM, Howard MS, Yi H, Gao W, Hashimoto T, Grossniklaus HE. 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