This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Dentistry/ Oral Medicine  • Bullous Diseases  • Diagnosis  • Pemphigoid  • Alert me on articles by topic

Carlos Ricotti, MD; John Kowalczyk, BBA; Anthony Fernandez, MD, PhD; Carlos H. Nousari, MD
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida (Drs Ricotti, Fernandez, and Nousari and Mr Kowalczyk); and Dermpath Diagnostics South Florida, Pompano Beach (Dr Nousari)

Arch Dermatol. 2008;144(11):1538.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Desquamative gingivitis can result from various pathogenetic factors, including mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP).¹ Adequate gingival sampling for immunopathologic evaluation is mandatory for the diagnosis of MMP. The gingival mucosal "peeling" biopsy technique (Figure 1) yields sufficient epithelium samples for histologic analysis and direct immunofluorescence (DIF).² Hemidesmosomal proteins (BPAG1-2 and 6β4-integrin) are the most common MMP autoantigens, resulting in a "capping hemidesmosomal" linear IgG DIF pattern on the gingival epithelial undersurface (Figure 2). To circumvent false-negative DIF results, related to less common, deeper basement membrane zone autoantigens (laminin5/6 and collagenVII), serologic evaluation for anti–basement membrane zone autoantibodies (eg, indirect immuno-fluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) should be performed. If the findings of DIF and serologic studies are nondiagnostic and a high index of clinical suspicion for MMP remains, an appropriate mucosal punch or incisional . . . [Full Text of this Article]