Soluble Fas in Pemphigus Vulgaris

Background: The Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) system has been recognized as an important pathway for apoptosis induction in cells and tissues. It has recently been shown that skin lesions of pemphigus vulgaris are associated with Fas mediated apoptosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of serum soluble Fas of ten newly diagnosed patients with pemphigus vulgaris. Methods: Sera were collected from ten patients with pemphigus vulgaris. Commercial sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantitative detection of soluble Fas was applied. Results: Patients with mucosal skin involvement had higher median values in contrast to patients with cutaneous involvement. Conclusion: Elevation of soluble Fas in our study may give insights for the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris. Suppression of this underlying mechanism may be an important target for novel therapies and relapse prevention.