A Case of Antilaminin 332 Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid Showing a Blister on the Bulbar Conjunctiva and a Unique Epitope on the α3 Subunit
February 2010
in “
British Journal of Dermatology
”
TLDR A woman with a rare autoimmune disorder had a blister on her eye and unique immune reaction, which was effectively treated with medication.
The document describes a case of a 57-year-old Japanese woman diagnosed with antilaminin 332 mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by blistering lesions on mucous membranes and occasionally on the skin. The patient presented with severe erosive lesions on her oral mucosae and skin, as well as a blister on the bulbar conjunctiva of the left eye. Initial treatment with oral minocycline was ineffective, but a combination therapy of oral prednisolone and dapsone led to the healing of mucosal and skin lesions without scarring. Histopathology and immunofluorescence tests confirmed the diagnosis of antilaminin 332 MMP. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the patient's IgG antibodies reacted exclusively with the 165-kDa form of the α3 subunit of laminin 332, indicating a unique epitope. This case is notable for the rare occurrence of a clear blister on the bulbar conjunctiva and the effective treatment with dapsone. The study also highlights the heterogeneity of MMP and the importance of identifying specific epitopes for better understanding and treatment of the disease.
