Since September 1 2020, we have taken over the work of the Nishie team and are conducting protein function analysis, cultured cell, mouse genome editing, and elucidation of the pathophysiology of autoimmune blistering diseases. We are verifying the effects of DPP-4 inhibitors on the development of bullous pemphigoid (BP) and analyzing self-antigen-specific IgE and basophils in BP. Dr. Yosuke Mai, a graduate student, is working on a number of themes, including analysis of the pathophysiology of neutrophilic dermatosis. Dr. Shoko Mai is establishing a new detection and quantification system for DPP-4 inhibitor-related BP-specific autoantibodies and creating a new system that enables detection and quantification of mucosal pemphigoid autoantibodies. We are proceeding with research that will have a significant impact on the treatment of autoimmune blistering diseases. Nami Ikeshita, a technician, is conducting serum analysis for the diagnosis of autoimmune blistering diseases, including the full-length BP180 ELISA method, as well as providing daily experimental assistance. Since April 2021, Dr. Haruhisa Watanabe has been newly appointed from the dentistry department, and we have begun the analysis of cell death of epidermal keratinocytes in BP, and are very much looking forward to future developments.
Major research results since 2016
- Autoantibody Profile Differentiates between Inflammatory and Noninflammatory Bullous Pemphigoid (Izumi K et al. J Invest Dermatol 2016)
- Epitope-Dependent Pathogenicity of Antibodies Targeting a Major Bullous Pemphigoid Autoantigen Collagen XVII/BP180 （Wada M, Izumi K et al. J Invest Dermatol 2016）
- Detection of mucous membrane pemphigoid autoantibodies by full-length BP180 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Izumi K et al. J Dermatol Sci 2017)
- C-Terminal Processing of Collagen XVII Induces Neoepitopes for Linear IgA Dermatosis Autoantibodies （Toyonaga E, Izumi K et al. J Invest Dermatol 2017）
- Bullous Pemphigoid Triggered by Thermal Burn Under Medication With a Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV Inhibitor: A Case Report and Review of the Literature （Mai Y, Izumi K et al. Front Immunol 2018）
- Detection of anti-BP180 NC16A autoantibodies after the onset of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitor-associated bullous pemphigoid: a report of three patients（Mai Y, Izumi K et al. Br J Dermatol 2018）
- A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing the Prevalence of Bullous Pemphigoid Autoantibodies in 275 Cases of Type II Diabetes Mellitus Treated With or Without Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV Inhibitors (Izumi K et al. Front Immunol 2019)
- Current Clinical Trials in Pemphigus and Pemphigoid (Izumi K et al. Front Immunol 2019)
- Preferential Reactivity of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV Inhibitor-Associated Bullous Pemphigoid Autoantibodies to the Processed Extracellular Domains of BP180 （Mai Y, Izumi K et al. Front Immunol 2019）