13. Vesiculobullous diseases Flashcards
What is an intraepithelial vesicle?
A vesicle within the epithelium
What are the 2 main types of intraepithelial vesicles?
Acantholytic
Non-acantholytic
What is the definition of acantholytic vesicle?
Intraepithelial
Break down of the intercellular attachment that actually holds the epithelial cells attached to each other (destruction of prickle cell layer).
What diseases is acantholytic vesicles seen in?
Pemphigus
Darier’s disease
Benign familiar pemphigus- Hailey Hailey Disease
What are non-acantholytic vesicles due to?
Death and rupture of epithelial cells
What diseases is non-acantholytic vesicles seen in?
Herpes Simplex
Herpes Zoster
Coxsackie A viruses
What is subepithelial vesicle?
Between the epithelium and lamina propria of connective tissue, so the roof of the vesicle is epithelial tissue and bottom of the vesicle is connective tissue.
What are examples of subepithelial vesicle diseases?
Epidermolysis bullosa
Pemphigoid
Bullos lichen planus
Dermatitis herpetiform
Linear IgA disease
Angina bullous haemorrhagica
Erythema multiforme
What are the 4 main mechanisms of vesicle formation?
Infective- death and rupture of intraepithelial cells
Immunological
Traumatic
Idiopathic
What are 3 examples of immunological?
Pemphigus
Pemphigoid
Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
What are 2 examples of traumatic vesicle formation?
Epidermolysis bullosa
Angina bullosa haemorrhagica
What are 3 examples of idiopathic vesicle formation?
Erythema multiforme
Lichen planus
Angina bullous haemorrhagica
What is pemphigus?
Autoimmune reaction against stratified suprabasal epithelium adhesions proteins.
What antibodies are produced in pemphigus vulgaris?
Anti-desmoglein 3 antibodies
What antibodies are produced in pemphigus foliaceous?
Anti-desmoglein 1 antibodies
What antibodies are produced in peraneoplastic?
Anti desmoplakin 1 and 2 Antibodies or IgA or IgG
What antibodies are produced in IgA pemphigus?
Anti-desmocollin 1, 2 and 3 antibodies or IgA
What are the 6 clinical types of pemphigus?
Pemphigus vulgaris- rarely in mouth
Paraneoplastic
IgA pemphigus
Pemphigus follaceous- less serious, rarely in mouth
Pemphigus vegetans
Pemphigus erythematosus
Why is pemphigus fatal if untreated?
Due to extensive ulceration, electrolyte loss and infection
Where is pemphigus often seen first?
Mouth
What is Nikolksy’s sign?
Pinch the skin of a patient with pemphigus and it should leave a vesicle. If you gently press the vesicle, it will spread laterally. But do not do this, instead look at the rubbed surfaces such as the arm or mouth.
What are cells attached by?
Desmosomes- desmoglein and desmocollins. They are found in the extracellular core region.
What is inside the cells that help attachment?
Attachment plaques and desmoplakin, and plakoglobins.
What does the attachment plaque attach to inside the cells?
Keratin intermediate filaments
What do the vesicles in pemphigus appear like?
Thin-roofed vesicles/bullae followed by ulceration
They are intraepithelial, acantholytic lesions, suprabasal spliit
What can be found in the blister fluid in pemphigus?
Tzanck cells
They are swollen, and have a hyperchromatic nucleus.
They are epithelial cells that do not have anywhere to attach so they float about in the fluid.
What immunofluorence can be used for pemphigus?
IgG and C3 intercellularly
What are the 5 histology factors of pemphigus?
- Thin-roofed vesicles/bullae (acantholytic, intraepithelial, suprabasal split) followed by ulceration
- Tzanck cells in the blister fluid- swollen, hyperchromatic nucleus
- Little inflammatory infiltration until ulceration
- Basal cells remain attached- tombstone appearance
- Immunofluorescence- IgG and C3 intercellularly
How are basal cells attached?
Attached to one another by desmosomes and to the cells above them
Attached to underlying basement membrane by hemidesmosomes.
What is the direct method of immunofluorescence for pemphigus?
Biopsy incubated with fluroscein-conjugated anti-human IgG and anti-c3 sera