Neutrophils contact to plasma membrane of keratinocytes including desmosomal structures in canine pemphigus foliaceus.

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is an autoimmune blistering skin disease that affects certain mammals including dogs. In canine PF, neutrophils are infiltrated intensely into pustular lesions including acantholytic cells, although neutrophilic infiltration is not characterized in human PF. The roles of the neutrophils in the cutaneous lesions of canine PF have not yet been understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize the ultrastructural features underlying the acantholysis with pustule formation in canine PF. Four dogs diagnosed as PF on the basis of clinical signs, histopathological findings, and direct and indirect immunofluorescence examinations were performed. Electron microscopy revealed that the acantholytic cells were adjacent to multiple neutrophils in the pustules. At the contact points between neutrophils and acantholytic keratinocytes, half-desmosomes of acantholytic keratinocytes with intact attachment plaques were observed within invaginations of neutrophils. Furthermore, on the surface of acantholytic cells in the pustules, neutrophil granules seemed to be secreted to the surface of acantholytic cells and to degenerate the half-desmosome structures. Neutrophils were also observed within the epidermis adjacent to the pustule. At the intercellular gap between two dissociated keratinocytes, neutrophils inserted its pseudopodia into the gap between the two half-desmosomes of keratinocytes. These findings taken together suggested that, at least in the areas where we analyzed ultrastructurally, neutrophils contact desmosomal structures and seem to play some parts in separation of keratinocytes and degeneration of split-desmosomes in pustules of dogs with PF.