Correlation between salivary and serum anti-desmoglein 1 and 3 antibody titres using ELISA and between anti-desmoglein levels and disease severity in pemphigus vulgaris

Abstract

ELISA for anti-desmoglein antibodies (Dsg) is commonly used for diagnosis and assessment of treatment response in pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The present study was conducted to assess the relationship between salivary and serum Dsg1 and Dsg3 levels, and whether salivary Dsg1 and Dsg3 levels correlate with clinical disease severity of oral mucosal lesions in PV. In total 43, patients with PV with predominantly mucosal involvement were recruited. Both serum and salivary samples were collected from the cases, and salivary samples were also collected from five controls. There was a statistically significant correlation between serum and salivary Dsg1 levels and between serum and salivary Dsg3 levels. There was no correlation between serum or salivary Dsg1 and Dsg3 levels with the objective component of the oral mucosal Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorder Intensity Score (ABSIS). Serum Dsg1 levels significantly correlated with cutaneous ABSIS, but there was no correlation between cutaneous ABSIS and either salivary Dsg1, salivary Dsg3 or serum Dsg3. As salivary Dsg titres correlate with serum levels, saliva can serve as a simple and noninvasive alternative to serum for Dsg ELISA.

Saliva and Oral Diseases

“…The authors explained these data with the loss of integrity in mucosa and the largest transition of antibodies in saliva. The study of De et al perfectly reproduced this finding and the authors perfectly agreed with the explanation concerning higher Dsg1 levels in severe disease [106]. In contrast to the previously discussed research, one Italian study was designed to assess the use of a BIOCHIP approach compared with ELISA in PV [107].…”

An Oral Disease Severity Score validated for use in oral pemphigus vulgaris

“…In analysis of sequential serum samples from patients with PV, the anti‐Dsg3 indices showed a correlation with PDAI scores, while in a further study no correlation was found with either PDAI or ABSIS . Among patients with predominantly mucosal PV, there was no correlation between either serum or salivary anti‐Dsg1 or anti‐Dsg3 antibodies and the total objective component of ABSIS; however, serum anti‐Dsg1 antibodies did correlate with cutaneous ABSIS …”

Evaluation of desmoglein 1 and 3 autoantibodies in pemphigus vulgaris: correlation with disease severity

“…In contrast, Belloni-Fortina A et al reported a relationship between the titer of anti-Dsg3 and the severity of both cutaneous and mucosal lesions, while they have found that anti-Dsg1 titer relates only to the severity of mucosal lesions (17). Moreover, Mortazavi et al and De D et al showed that the degree of skin damages significantly enhanced upon an increase in the anti-Dsg1 concentrations, but they found no significant correlation between anti-Dsg3 antibodies and the severity of oral mucosal lesions (18,19). Abasq et al have reported that in PV patients, the anti-Dsg3 titer is not necessarily linked to the clinical course of mucosal lesions (20).…”