Absence of anti-BP180 antibodies in mothers of infants with bullous pemphigoid.

BACKGROUND

It is not clear whether bullous pemphigoid (BP) of infancy is linked to maternal transmission of pathogenic autoantibodies. Objectives To search for anti-BP180 antibodies in the sera of infants with BP and their mothers, using sensitive and specific methods.

METHODS

Four infants (<6 months) with BP and their mothers were tested for anti-BP180 antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence, immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

We found anti-BP180 antibodies in the sera of the four infants with all methods. These antibodies reacted with the extracellular domain NC16A. In the serum of their mothers we found 180 and 160 kDa proteins, each in one case, but indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA were negative, suggesting the absence of anti-BP180 autoantibodies reacting with the extracellular domain NC16A.

CONCLUSIONS

BP of infants is not due to maternofetal transmission of pathogenic autoantibodies. Other hypotheses for the pathophysiology of BP are discussed.