Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a life-threatening autoimmune blistering disease caused by circulating autoantibodies against desmoglein (Dsg) 1 and Dsg 3. Whether acantholysis in PV results exclusively from antibody binding to Dsgs or involves additional factors remains controversial. Given that Fas-Ligand (FasL), an activator of apoptotic caspase-8, is increased in the serum and the skin of patients with PV, we investigated the role of caspases in anti-Dsg3-mediated acantholysis using both ex vivo and in vitro models. Our results demonstrated that anti-Dsg3 antibodies induced acantholysis ex vivo in the absence of caspase activation, primarily through the redistribution of Dsg3 to intracellular compartments. FasL-induced caspase activation led to a synergistic amplification of anti-Dsg3-mediated loss of cell adhesion by promoting Dsg3 cleavage. This dual mechanism provides new insights into the disease heterogeneity of PV.
Source: Cell Death Discovery
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
Awards: G1803729569, G2033257707, Die Rolle von epithelialen CD74 in Nierenerkrankungen, G2312447549, G2645809965, G3301163410, G4080595764, G410390351, STOP-FSGS - Translationaler Forschungsverbund zur Verbesserung der Diagnostik und Therapie der FSGS, Histopathologische Bildanalyse und Analyse von pathogenen Signalwegen, G5090063471, KFO 5011: Integration neuer Methoden zur Verbesserung von translationaler Nierenforschung, AI-augmented, Multiscale Image-based Diagnostics of Chronic Kidney Disease, G7683340944, TRR 219: Mechanismen kardiovaskulärer Komplikationen bei chronischer Niereninsuffizienz
OpenAlex ID: W7130512522