# DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS & THE MUCOSAL IMMUNE RESPONSE

> **NIH NIH R01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 1987 · $96,629

## Abstract

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a blistering skin disease with
characteristic cutaneous deposits of IgA and an associated gluten sensitive
enteropathy (GE).  In addition, clinical improvement is noted when DH
patients adhere to a gluten-free diet.  These findings suggest that the
mucosal immune response may play a central role in the pathogenesis of DH.
The purpose of this project will be to determine the relationship between
the gut and the skin in DH and to evaluate the mucosal immune response of
DH patient and normal individuals.  To accomplish this we will:  1) elute
IgA from the skin of patients with DH, determine the subclass of the eluted
IgA and assess its ability to bind to normal human skin, 2) identify and
characterize the antigen in DH skin which binds IgA and determine if that
antigen is present in normal human skin, 3) assess the ability of IgA from
serum, secretions, and isolated immune complexes to bind to the isolated
antigen, 4) evaluate the mucosal immune response, in both serum and
secretions, in patients with DH to previously encountered dietary antigens
as well as to a previously unencountered antigen, KLH.  Keratome sections
of DH skin and normal human skin will be treated with buffers which are
capable of eluting immune complexes from tissue and of solubilizing the
dermal-epidermal junction.  The eluates obtained will then be analyzed by
enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) for total IgA and IgA subclass
composition.  The eluates will also be analyzed using SDS-PAGE and
immunoblot to detect the antigen to which IgA binds.  These immunoblots
will be reacted with IgA from serum, secretions, and isolated IgA
containing circulating immune complexes from both normal individuals and DH
patients.  The mucosal immune response of these patients will also be
evaluated by measuring both serum and secretory antibodies against gliadin,
and other dietary antigens using ELISA.  These antibodies will be
characterized as to immunoglobulin class and IgA subclass.  The ability of
patients to respond to a new antigen, KLH, will be determined by feeding
patients and normal individuals KLH and assessing the serum and secretory
antibody respsne by ELISA.  The relationship between secretory and systemic
immunity will be investigated by attempting to immunize these same
indivduals by subcutaneous injection after enteric immunization and
assessment of the antibody response.  These studies will provide insights
into the basic pathophysiology of DH, and increase our understanding of the
mucosal immune response in patients with abnormal intestinal morphology (DH
with GSE) and in normal individuals.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3156924
- **Project number:** 5R01AR034718-03
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** TP7EK8DZV6N5
- **Principal Investigator:** RUSSELL P. HALL
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $96,629
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1985-07-01 → 1988-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3156924

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3156924, DERMATITIS HERPETIFORMIS & THE MUCOSAL IMMUNE RESPONSE (5R01AR034718-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3156924. Licensed CC0.

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