Is Local Production of Autoantibodies in Skin Lesions Relevant in Pemphigus?

Pemphigus is an autoimmune bullous disease characterized by IgG production against desmogleins. The major sites of autoantibody production are thought to be lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow. Previously, it has been suggested that autoreactive B cells might exist in the skin lesions in pemphigus and produce autoantibodies. In their report, Zhou et al. expanded their previous studies and reported that ectopic lymphoid-like structures were found in pemphigus skin lesions, wherein B-cell differentiation and lesional B-cell expansion might progress. This finding provides novel insights into B-cell biology in pemphigus.