Figure 3

BP180/ CXVII-specific antibodies induce blistering skin disease when passively transferred into adult mice. Mice receiving rabbit antibodies (n=10) to murine BP180/ CXVII developed skin lesions at different sites including the (a) front limbs, the (b) hind limbs and the (c) ears. In contrast, the ear of a mouse receiving control rabbit antibodies remained unaffected (d) as did a mouse receiving control sheep antibodies (e). Mice injected with (f) pathogenic sheep antibodies (n=10) presented an even more extensive and generalized disease. Lesions including erosions partly covered by crusts were recorded on the (g) snout, and (h) hind limb of a mouse receiving sheep antibodies to murine BP180/ CXVII. More advanced disease was characterized by blisters, erosions and alopecia affecting both the (i) abdomen and the (j) back of mice injected with sheep BP180/ CXVII-specific IgG.