Actividad de los autoanticuerpos anti-desmogleina 1 en el suero de 68 pares madres-neonatos sanos de una zona enfémica de fogo selvagem en brasil

Abstract

The Amerindian reservation of Limao Verde (LV), Brazil shows a 3% prevalence of Fogo Selvagem (FS), an endemic phenotype of pemphigus foliaceus. The healthy population of LV exhibits a high prevalence of IgG and IgM anti-Dsg1 autoantibodies. The antigen(s) that triggering the immune response is harbored within LV and is unknown the age in which appears in the healthy population. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the anti-Dsg1 response in a cohort of 68 healthy Terena mother/neonate pairs in this endemic area in Brazil. In order to see if they are born with these antibodies the sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence (IF) and ELISA using recombinant Dsg1. We tested IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4 and IgM anti-Dsg1 response in these individuals. Sera for 68 pairs were negative by indirect IF. There were 13 mothers (17 %) and 11 neonates (14.4 %) that showed positive total IgG Dsg1 ELISA. Only three healthy mothers (4.4%) and two normal neonates (from one of these mothers) (2.9%) exhibit positive IgG4 anti-Dsg1. IgM anti-Dsg1 autoantibodies were found in 12 mothers (15.7 %) and none of the neonates (0 %). Mother/neonate sera showed no differences on IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 anti-Dsg1 antibodies. These results suggest that the immunization process leading to FS in endemic regions of Brazil begins in the post neonatal period of life.