Journal of Genetic Syndromes & Gene Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Chronic Bullous Disease or Linear IgA Dermatosis of Childhood -Revisited

Patsatsi A

Linear IgA dermatosis or chronic bullous disease of childhood (CBDC) is a nonhereditary, autoimmune subepidermal bullous disease, characterized by the presence of continuous linear deposits of IgA autoantibodies along the basement membrane zone. Antigens mainly involved in the pathogenesis of CBDC are a 97-kDa and a 120 ?kDa protein, which represent fragments of the extracellular domain of collagen XVII (BP180), a transmembrane protein playing a critical role in maintaining the linkage between the intracellular and the extracellular structural elements involved in epidermal adhesion. Humoral and cellular response contributes to the pathogenetic mechanism leading to blister formation. CBDC is characterized by a clinical polymorphism in each patient, with the ?cluster of jewels? pattern being the most typical clinical lesion. For the establishment of CBDC diagnosis, combination of histology and immunofluorescence studies are of utmost importance. The majority of patients respond to dapsone, sulfapiridine or systemic steroids in cases of widespread disease. CBDC tends to resolve spontaneously within several months to 5 years after its onset. In this review article, the key features of this rare autoimmune bullous disease are revisited.