Varicella‐zoster virus antigen expression of eccrine gland and duct epithelium in herpes zoster lesions

Abstract

Immunohistochemical detection of VZV gE in eccrine epithelium can be a subtle clue to the diagnosis of HZ which displays most unusual manifestations, and VZV-related disorders.

The importance of considering skin diseases from a temporal perspective: Special emphasis on the effects of corticosteroids and virally induced diseases

“…In most cases, the characteristic features of HZ rash establish the clinical diagnosis. 3 Because VZV gE is an essential late protein expressed on the cell membrane during lytic infection and is a predominant component of the virion envelope, 24,25 immunohistochemical detection of VZV gE in these lesions, either cutaneous or gastrointestinal, suggests VZV involvement in the development of these lesions. These lesions encompass folliculitis, 20 syringitis, verruciform lesions, 21 nodular lesions, 22 intracranial hemorrhage, 23 and acute abdomen.…”

“…3 [NOTE: Rather than "manuscript submitted," please report the "authors name(s), personal communication."] Indeed, careful follow-up of patients for years may reveal the transformation of an immature form of disease into a more classic or typical form of disease; typical examples of such transitions are often reported and include conversion from granuloma annulare to sarcoidosis and from discoid lupus erythematosus to systemic lupus erythematosus.…”

Detection of Varicella-Zoster Virus Antigens in Lesional Skin of Zosteriform Lichen Planus but Not in That of Linear Lichen Planus

“…Our previous studies demonstrated that VZV antigen expression is observed in the cytoplasm of eccrine gland and duct epithelium in the majority of HZ lesions up until 2.5 years after the onset of HZ [8]. These findings prompted us to investigate whether VZV antigens could be detected in zosteriform and linear LP lesions.…”

“…Biopsy specimens were obtained from these LP lesions of 6 additional patients with informed consent. To detect VZV antigens in these LP lesions, immunohistochemical examinations were performed using paraffin sections of formalin-fixed materials, murine monoclonal antibody directed to the VZV envelope glycoprotein E (gE; Chemicon Inc., Temecula, Calif., USA), and the Dako Envision System (Dako, Calif., USA), as described previously [8]. Briefly, 5-µm sections were deparaffinized and rehydrated.…”

“…Thus, the main difficulty in assigning a pathological role to VZV in LP, particularly zosteriform LP, is that during the prodromal phase preceding LP the virus would have disappeared. In this regard, we have recently demonstrated that the presence of VZV antigens in eccrine epithelium can be persistently detected even long after clinical resolution of HZ, for instance, 2.5 years after the clinical resolution, when VZV DNA was no longer detected [8]. …”