Pemphigoid diseases (PDs) are a group of autoimmune diseases defined by an autoantibody-mediated immune response which in the end lead to signature skin lesions as subepidermal blisters developing into erosions and crusts. Treatment strategies for PDs almost exclusively predominantly resort to systemic immunosuppression, particularly by corticosteroids. Iatrogenic immunosuppression is believed to be a major reason for a marked increase in mortality of PD Patients. Therefore, and due to the rising incidence, there is a clear and thus far unmet medical need for the development of effective and save therapeutic strategies for these patients.

My project in specific focused on epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) and PD directed against collagen type VII as a major component of the dermal epidermal junction. Priority Objective of my project will be to gain a deeper insight on the impact of IFN-γ in PDs effective phase, generated in antibody transfer-induced EBA mouse model. In specific this project will address the relevance of IFN-y in initiating EBA and concluding all of this maybe being able to define a new therapeutically strategy.