Chinese Journal of Dermatology ›› 2023, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (7): 702-705.doi: 10.35541/cjd.20201019

• Reviews • Previous Articles    

Epitope spreading in autoimmune bullous diseases

Shan Ying1,2, Chang Xiaotong2, Zuo Yagang1   

  1. 1Department of Dermatology, National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases, Translational Medicine Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; 2Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China
  • Received:2020-10-16 Revised:2021-01-27 Online:2023-07-15 Published:2023-07-04
  • Contact: Zuo Yagang E-mail:zuoyagang@263.net
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China (81972944); Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation (7192166)

Abstract: 【Abstract】 Epitope spreading often occurs in patients with autoimmune bullous diseases (ABDs), resulting in exposure of more antigenic epitopes, aggravation or transformation of pre-existing diseases, or concurrence of other diseases. With the increase in the immunological evidence for epitope spreading, more and more scholars have realized that epitope spreading plays an important role in the development of ABDs. This review introduces the phenomenon of epitope spreading in ABDs from 4 aspects, including the concurrence or transformation between different types of pemphigoid, different types of pemphigus, pemphigus and pemphigoid, as well as between ABDs and other skin diseases.

Key words: Pemphigoid, bullous, Pemphigus, Epitopes, Autoimmune bullous diseases, Epitope spreading, psoriasis