Detection of basement membrane zone antigens and C3 fragments in the blister fluid of bullous pemphigoid

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Abstract
In polyacrylamide gel gradient electrophoresis, serum and blister fluid of patients with bullous pemphigoid showed a nearly identical protein distribution pattern except for 1 more concentrated fraction in the blister fluid. This fraction could be isolated by several gel chromatographic steps and then be characterized as a protein with a MW of 240,000 (BFP [blister fluid protein] 240,000) consisting of several subunits. Two of these subunits could be identified as C3 [complement component 3] fragments and 2 other ones as basement membrane zone antigens (BMZ-Ag) by a modified Laurell technique. The MW of the BFP 240,000 may be small enough to allow it to penetrate through the vessel wall into the blood circulation where, with the BMZ-antibodies (BMZ-Ab), BMZ-Ag-BMZ-Ab-complexes can be formed. The occurrence of such immune complexes in the serum was shown previously.