Author/Editor		Košnik, M; Vizjak, A; Jurčić, V; Kern, I
Title		Immune deposits in skin biopsies in chronic urticaria
Type		članek
Source		Allergy Hypersens Asth
Vol. and No.		Letnik 1, št. 1
Publication year		2003
Volume		str. 42-5
Language		eng
Abstract		Background. Mast cell derived histamine is the principal mediator in chronic urticaria (CU), but the way of activation of mast cells in CU is still not elucidated. Methods. Biopsies of clinically involved skin were obtained from 43 patients (34 women, age 15-76years, mean age 45,5 years) with CU. Autopsy skin specimens of 20 persons with no overt skin disease were used as a control.Deposits of immunoglobulins, complement components and fibrin/fibrinogen were assessed in frozen sections by immunofluorescence microscopy. Results. Immune deposits (IDE) were found in 70% of skin biopsies of patients with CU, IgM and C3 predominated in ID. Frequency of positive ID increased from 43% in biopsies with normal light microscopy to 100% in biopsies showing vasculitis. All control biopsies had noimmune deposits. Conclusions: We found extracellular ID in the clinically involved skin in the majority of patients with chronic urticaria. In most cases, ID were positive for complement component C3 and often also C1q, probably reflecting complement activation. The activation of complement with release of anaphylatoxins may be assumed to be involved in the pathogenesis of the lesions in CU.
Descriptors		URTICARIA IMMUNE COMPLEX DISEASES VASCULITIS THYROIDITIS, AUTOIMMUNE ANTIBODIES, ANTINEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC BIOPSY FIBRIN FIBRINOGEN COMPLEMENT 3C