Dermatopathology (Part 2) Flashcards
Inflammatory blistering disorders
- Pemphigus
- Bullous Pemphigoid
- Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Noninflammatory blistering disorders
- Epidermolysis Bullosa
- Porphyria
Subcorneal blisters
- Stratum corneum forms the roof of the bulla (as in pemphigus foliaceus)
Suprabasilar blister
- Portion of the epidermis, including the stratum corneum, forms the roof (as in pemphigus vulgaris)
Subepidermal blister
- The entire epidermis separates from the dermis (as in bullous pemphigoid)
Pemphigus
- Etiological factor = autoantibodies
- Result in the dissolution of intercellular attachments (epidermis, mucosal epithelium)
Pemphigus in adults
- Fourth to 6th decades of life
- Men and women are affected equally
Multiple variants of pemphigus
- Pemphigus vulgaris
- Pemphigus vegetans
- Pemphigus foliaceus
- Pemphigus erythematosus
- Paraneoplastic pemphigus
- Disorders are benign
- Extreme cases can be fatal without treatment
Pemphigus vulgaris
- Most common type (80% of cases worldwide)
- Mucosa
- Skin
Pemphigus vulgaris affects the skin
- Scalp
- Face
- Axilla
- Groin
- Trunk
- Points of pressure
Pemphigus vulgaris as oral ulcers
- Persist for months before skin involvement appears
Pemphigus vulgaris primary lesions
- Superficial vesicles and bullae that rupture easily
- Shallow erosions covered with dried serum and crust
Pemphigus foliaceus
- Benign form (endemic in Brazil; fogo selvagem)
Pemphigus foliaceus sites of predilection
- Scalp
- Face
- Chest
- Back
- Mucous membranes (rarely affected)
Pemphigus folaceus bullae
- Blisters found in the superficial epidermis at the level of the stratum granulosum
- Present as areas of erythema and crusting
- Erosions of previous blister rupture
Common histologic feature of all forms of Pemphigus
- Acantholysis
Acantholysis in pemphigus
- Dissolution or lysis of the intercellular bridges
- Pemphigus vulgaris and Pemphigus vegetans
- Acantholysis selectively involves the cells immediately above the basal cell layer
- Suprabasal acantholytic blister
Pemphigus pathogenesis (autoimmune)
- IgG autoantibodies against desmogleins
- Disruption of intercellular adhesions
- Result – Blisters formation
- Direct immunofluorescence
Direct immunofluorescence in pemphigus
- Net-like pattern of intercellular IgG deposits
- Pemphigus vulgaris = IgG is usually seen at all levels of the epithelium in
- Pemphigus foliaceus = IgG distribution is superficial
Pemphigus vulgaris depositis
- Deposition of Ab along the plasma membranes of keratinocytes in a reticular pattern
- Accompanied by suprabasalar loss of cell-to-cell adhesion (acantholysis)
Pemphigus foliaceus deposits
- Ab deposits and acantholysis are more superficial
Bullous pemphigoid
- Affects the elderly
- Orla lesions
Bullous pemphigoid sites of involvement
- Inner aspects of the thighs
- Flexor surfaces of the forearms
- Axillae
- Groin
- Lower abdomen
Bullous pemphigoid oral lesions
- Present in 10% to 15% of affected individuals
- Appear after the cutaneous lesions
- Patients may present with urticarial plaques and severe pruritus
Bullous pemphigoid pathogenesis
- Autoantibodies binding to hemidesmosome proteins
- Linear deposition pattern at dermoepidermal junction
- Antibodies against BPAG2 cause blistering
- Autoantibodies activate complement
- Recruitment
Bullous pemphigoid antigens (BPAGs)
- Components of hemidesmosomes
Bullous pemphigoid recruits
- Neutrophils
- Eosinophils (inflammation and disruption of epidermal attachments)
Bullous pemphigoig morpology (1)
- Tense bullae filled with clear fluid
- Bullae are usually less than 2 cm in diameter (can reach 4 to 8 cm)
- Bullae do not rupture easily
- Heal without scarring
- Distinguishing Characteristic
- Subepidermal, nonacantholytic blisters
Bullous pemphigoig morphology (2)
- Deep perivascular infiltrate (lymphocytes, eosinophils, neutrophils)
- Superficial dermal edema
- Basal cell layer vacuolization
Dermatitis herpetiformis characteristics
- Rare
- Urticaria
- Vesicles (pruritic)
- Affects predominantly males
- Third and fourth decades of life
Dermatitis herpetiformis asociations
- Intestinal celiac disease
Dermatitis herpetiformis pathogenesis
- Genetic predisposition
- Individuals develop lgA Abs to dietary gluten
- Abs cross-react with reticulin
Abs cross-react with reticulin (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Component of the anchoring fibrils
- Resultant subepidermal blister develops
Dermatitis herpetiformis lesions
- Bilateral
- Symmetric
- Grouped
Dermatitis herpetiformis areas involved
- Extensor surfaces
- Elbows
- Knees
- Upper back
- Buttocks
Dermatitis herpetiformis morphology
- Fibrin and neutrophils accumulate at tips of dermal papillae
- Small microabscesses
- Direct Immunofluorescence (discontinuous, granular deposits of lgA at tips of dermal papillae)
Epidermolysis bullosa
- Inherited defects in structural proteins
- Formation of Blisters
- Sites of pressure
- Friction
- Trauma
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex type
- Autosomal dominant mode of inheritance
- Mutations in genes encoding keratin 14 or 5
- Pair with one another to make a functional keratin fiber
- Basal cell layer defect
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex
Weber-Cockayne subtype
- Mild bullous disease
- Characterized by localized blistering at sites of trauma such as the feet
Dermatitis herpetiformis
blisters are associated with
- Accumulation of neutrophils (microabscesses) at the tips of dermal papillae
Epidermolysis bullosa simplex
Koebner subtype
- Palmoplantar blistering and hyperkeratosis are noted
- Hyperkeratotic papules and plaques on the palm
Epidermolysis bullosa junctional type
- Blisters of normal skin at the lamina lucida
- Autosomal recessive defect
- Subunits of laminin
- Binds to hemidesmosomes and anchoring filaments
- Typical erosions in flexural creases
Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (Herlitz subtype)
- Severe disease characterized by generalized intralamina lucida blistering at birth
- Significant internal involvement
- Poor prognosis
Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa
- Sublamina densa BMZ separation
Hemidesmosomal Epidermolysis Bullosa
New category
- Produces blistering at the hemidesmosomal level
Dominantly inherited dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa
- Blistering often is localized and is characterized by scarring and milia in healed blister sites
Dominantly inherited dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa can result in
- Nail dystrophy and loss
oral cavity blistering and scarring
Epidermolysis bullosa types
- Epidermolysis bullosa simplex (intraepidermal skin separation)
- Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (skin separation in lamina lucida or central BMZ)
- Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (sublamina densa BMZ separation)
Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa histology
- Subepidermal blister at the level of the lamina lucida
- No associated inflammation
Acne vulgaris
- Teenagers
- Affects both males and females
- Males tend to have more severe disease
- Induced or exacerbated by drugs
- Noninflammatory/inflammatory