Coordination Funds

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The Research Group PEGASUS deals with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disorder of the skin and mucous membranes. Pemphigus is potentially lethal and requires efficient and well-tolerated therapeutic strategies. Moreover, pemphigus is an excellent model disease to better understand autoimmunity in general as the basic mechanisms in the pemphigus pathogenesis are well understood. Our group has been doing research on the immune mechanisms that lead to the formation of pathogenic IgG autoantibodies in pemphigus. A major focus of PEGASUS are T-lymphocytes which in concert with B-lymphocytes lead to the formation of IgG autoantibodies against desmoglein 3, an adhesion molecule in the upper skin (epidermis). In a preclinical mouse model of pemphigus, we try to favorably influence the disease course of pemphigus via inhibition of pathogenic T-cells. These findings will then go directly into the design of clinical trials aimed at improving our understanding which components of the immune system are involved in skin healing and reconstitution of immune tolerance against desmoglein 3 at the same time. Partners of the pemphigus consortium have developed laboratory methods to measure and follow-up on pathogenic immune cells and autoantibodies in pemphigus. Further on, we will study additional factors that are necessary for blister formation of skin and mucous membranes beyond autoantibody binding to skin cells. A hallmark of PEGASUS is the translational research approach, i.e. the direct transfer of experimental findings from the bench to the clinics, either as a clinical trial or improved diagnostic measure. Some of the findings evolving from our pemphigus research may also be applicable to unrelated autoimmune disorders and inflammatory skin disorders.