Autoimmune skin diseases (ASD) comprise a variety of skin conditions where the immune system targets self-tissues. Nearly all tissues in the skin, including epidermal cells, dermal tissues, vascular tissues, hair follicles, and pigmented cells (melanocytes), could be involved. Generally, ASDs are commonly identified in clinical practice, albeit rare for respective individual diseases. This group of diseases typically has a long-term, chronic disease course and a relatively high relapse rate that substantially contributes to morbidity and mortality of the diseases. Consequently, ASDs may significantly impair the patients’ quality of life and dramatically increase the economic burden on patients’ families and society.
The chronic recurrent disease course is partly because the disease mechanisms are not well-understood, though much progress has been made in the past years. In addition, the current mainstay therapies are corticosteroids and immune suppressants that may lead to severe adverse effects, such as infection, bleeding, and metabolic disorders. These medications are used successfully for disease control but not for disease cure, indicating that further research is necessary to develop better therapies for patients. Recently, immune therapies, including monoclonal antibodies and T-cell therapies, appear promising when tested in preclinical or clinical trials. However, the efficacy has not been adequately evaluated, and novel and more effective therapeutic options are always highly desired. Thus, the goals of the accepted research articles in this Research topic are expected to help better understand the disease pathophysiology and develop better therapies with more efficacies and fewer adverse effects.
Topic Editor CMH is a consultant to Argenx and viDA Therapeutics. CMH has a provisional patent for using BP monoclonal antibodies to deliver biologic agents to the basement membrane zone and a granted patent on new techniques used for the diagnosis of autoimmune blistering skin disease. The other Topic Editors declare no conflicts of interests in regards to the Research Topic subject
Autoimmune skin diseases (ASD) comprise a variety of skin conditions where the immune system targets self-tissues. Nearly all tissues in the skin, including epidermal cells, dermal tissues, vascular tissues, hair follicles, and pigmented cells (melanocytes), could be involved. Generally, ASDs are commonly identified in clinical practice, albeit rare for respective individual diseases. This group of diseases typically has a long-term, chronic disease course and a relatively high relapse rate that substantially contributes to morbidity and mortality of the diseases. Consequently, ASDs may significantly impair the patients’ quality of life and dramatically increase the economic burden on patients’ families and society.
The chronic recurrent disease course is partly because the disease mechanisms are not well-understood, though much progress has been made in the past years. In addition, the current mainstay therapies are corticosteroids and immune suppressants that may lead to severe adverse effects, such as infection, bleeding, and metabolic disorders. These medications are used successfully for disease control but not for disease cure, indicating that further research is necessary to develop better therapies for patients. Recently, immune therapies, including monoclonal antibodies and T-cell therapies, appear promising when tested in preclinical or clinical trials. However, the efficacy has not been adequately evaluated, and novel and more effective therapeutic options are always highly desired. Thus, the goals of the accepted research articles in this Research topic are expected to help better understand the disease pathophysiology and develop better therapies with more efficacies and fewer adverse effects.
Topic Editor CMH is a consultant to Argenx and viDA Therapeutics. CMH has a provisional patent for using BP monoclonal antibodies to deliver biologic agents to the basement membrane zone and a granted patent on new techniques used for the diagnosis of autoimmune blistering skin disease. The other Topic Editors declare no conflicts of interests in regards to the Research Topic subject