THE UPPER AND GENERAL EPIDERMAL CYTOPLASMIC IMMUNOFLUORESCENT PATTERNS

Abstract

The morphology of the upper epidermal cytoplasmic (UEC) and general epidermal cytoplasmic (GEC) immunofluorescent patterns was compared with that found with anti-stratum corneum (ASC) antibodies employing indirect immunofluorescence on human normal skin cryostat sections. With UEC, GEC, and ASC, stippled chains were seen in the granular and keratin layers, the stippled components being Jess numerous with ASC. ASC probably also reacted, although more weakly, at similar epidermal cytoplasmic sites as UEC. Both were usually unreactive with the basal cell layer but reacted with the cytoplasm of the rest of the epidermis. Possibly ASC antibodies represent incomplete types of UEC- inducing antibodies. Both UEC- and GEC-inducing sera appear to be more reactive with the inner part of the epidermal cytoplasm in that there were usually a few places of bright rings of cytoplasmic fluorescence surrounded by a weaker fluorescing rim of outer cytoplasm or by apparent large gaps. This suggested that the cytoplasmic antigens are at least in part intracellular. Although UEC was found in many different conditions, titers of 640 or greater were confined to patients with dermatologic diseases, suggesting that epidermal antigens, including the cytoplasmic antigens which appear to be partially intracellular, become more available to the immune system as a result of pathologic conditions of the skin. There was a greater affinity for skin rather than spleen cytoplasm demonstrated by UEC- inducing sera. GEC-inducing sera were equally reactive with skin and spleen cytoplasm.