# ERYTHEMA MULTIFORME; A CLINICAL PATHOGENETIC STUDY

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 1988 · $155,157

## Abstract

Our previous clinical and pathologic investigations of erythema
multiforme (EM) have demonstrated that herpes simplex virus is
closely linked to EM and that herpes-associated EM (HAEM) is the
most commonly observed form of EM.  We have further obsrved
that recurrent EM is virtually always HSV associated.  In the skin
obtained from active lesions of EM we have detected a HSV
specific antigen.  The antigen, glycoprotein B (gB) is found within
human keratinocytes (HK), which is the site of injury in HAEM.

We now propose to extend our clinical and pathologic studies to
the molecular level; using molecular virology techniques to
investigate the role of HSV in EM.  We propose to determine if
HSV disseminates in HAEM by examining buffy coats of subjects,
before, during and after episodes of EM.  We also wish to
determine if HSV is latent in the skin of patients with HAEM by
examination of EM skin lesions and of previously involved skin
sites after the EM has cleared.  To complete these studies we
have prepared a riboprobe which includes the region of viral DNA
that encodes for gB.  The probe is HSV-specific and highly
sensitive to the picogram level.   We will use the roboprobe for in
situ hybridization techniques and dot-blot hybridization to
identify HSV.

We hypothesize that the cutaneous injury is not merely non-
specific hypersensitivity as previously thought, but HSV-specific
involving the host response to HSV antigens expressed on HK.  We
proposed to examine the mechanism of injury using several models
of cytotoxicity.  Finally, we propose to study the effect of
therapeutic intervention in EM using an anti-HSV drug, acyclovir,
to suppress EM.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3126756
- **Project number:** 5R01AI016637-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MW8JHK6ZYEX8
- **Principal Investigator:** WILLIAM L WESTON
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1988
- **Award amount:** $155,157
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1979-09-01 → 1992-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3126756

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3126756, ERYTHEMA MULTIFORME; A CLINICAL PATHOGENETIC STUDY (5R01AI016637-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3126756. Licensed CC0.

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