Type VII Collagen is a Normal Component of Epidermal Basement Membrane, Which Shows Altered Expression in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

• Published in: Journal of investigative dermatology Vol. 90; no. 5; pp. 639 - 642
• Main Authors: Leigh, Irene M., Eady, Robin A.J., Heagerty, Adrian H.M., Purkis, Patricia E., Whitehead, Philip A., Burgeson, Robert E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Danvers, MA Elsevier Inc 01.05.1988; Nature Publishing
• Subjects: Basement Membrane - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Bullous diseases of the skin; Collagen - classification; Collagen - metabolism; Dermatology; Epidermis - metabolism; Epidermis - ultrastructure; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Genes, Recessive; Humans; Immunologic Techniques; Medical sciences; Microscopy, Electron; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous - genetics; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous - metabolism; Bullous dermatosis; Human; Skin disease; Immunological investigation; Collagen; Recessive character; Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa; Basement membrane; Genetic disease
• ISSN: 0022-202X; 1523-1747
• DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12560795

The murine monoclonal antibody LH 7:2, which reacts with the basement membrane of stratified squamous epithelia including epidermis, has been characterized biochemically and shown to bind to part of the type VII collagen molecule. Immunoblotting reveals that the antibody binding site lies in the non-helical carboxy terminal region of the type VII collagen dimer and immunoelectron microscopy shows that the epitope is within the lamina densa of the basement membrane. Loss of LH 7:2 binding in the hereditary blistering disease recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa suggests that inadequate synthesis or excessive breakdown of type VII collagen may form the biologic basis for the disease.