mortality/aging
• a few homozygotes die between P18 and P25, following severe weight loss
• however, more than 80% survive and again start to gain weight, although they remain clearly smaller than wild-type littermates
|
growth/size/body
• homozygotes exhibit oral mucous membrane inflammatory erosions and suprabasal blisters that may inhibit food intake and ultimately cause runting
• oropharyngeal biopsies indicate suprabasilar acantholysis and "tombstoning" of basal cells while EM reveals separation of desmosomes
• suckling and, later, solid food at P16-P20 presumably exacerbate the severity of oral lesions
|
• at P15-P20, homozygotes are grossly runted
|
• homozygotes are born with normal weight but are lagging in weight gain by P8-P10
|
weight loss
(
J:40804
)
• weight loss is noted at ~P20, i.e. at around weaning and start of solid food
|
• starting at P8-P10, homozygotes exhibit progressive growth retardation
|
craniofacial
• homozygotes exhibit oral mucous membrane inflammatory erosions and suprabasal blisters that may inhibit food intake and ultimately cause runting
• oropharyngeal biopsies indicate suprabasilar acantholysis and "tombstoning" of basal cells while EM reveals separation of desmosomes
• suckling and, later, solid food at P16-P20 presumably exacerbate the severity of oral lesions
|
cellular
• homozygotes display impaired cell adhesion in the basal and immediate suprabasilar keratinocytes, esp. in the oral mucous membrane
|
vision/eye
• some homozygotes display suppurative conjunctivitis with suprabasilar blisters of eyelids and mucocutaneous conjunctiva
|
adipose tissue
• at autopsy, homozygotes exhibit a dramatic reduction in body fat, reminiscent of a starvation phenotype
|
immune system
• some homozygotes display suppurative conjunctivitis with suprabasilar blisters of eyelids and mucocutaneous conjunctiva
|
digestive/alimentary system
• homozygotes exhibit oral mucous membrane inflammatory erosions and suprabasal blisters that may inhibit food intake and ultimately cause runting
• oropharyngeal biopsies indicate suprabasilar acantholysis and "tombstoning" of basal cells while EM reveals separation of desmosomes
• suckling and, later, solid food at P16-P20 presumably exacerbate the severity of oral lesions
|
integument
• runted homozygotes display alopecia at weaning
• bald areas are first noted on the forehead, and then proceed onto the entire back
|
• balding homozygotes display dilated telogen follicles lacking a hair shaft
|
• homozygotes exhibit a normal first hair cycle but loss of hair after this cycle
• head to tail synchronization is lost after 2-3 cycles
• as a result, bald patches with regrowth, involving both the ventral and dorsal coats, are observed
|
acantholysis
(
J:40804
)
• oropharyngeal biopsies indicate suprabasilar acantholysis and "tombstoning" of basal cells
• separated acantholytic cells retain "half" desmosomes with tonofilaments still attached and residual flocculent material (desmoglea) along the cell membrane
|
blistering
(
J:40804
)
• traumatized skin around the eyes and snout shows typical suprabasilar blisters similar to pemphigus vulgaris lesions
• homozygotes may display suprabasilar blistering of the vaginal epithelium; however, the esophagus, cardiac portion of the stomach, and thymus appear histologically normal
|
skin lesions
(
J:40804
)
• homozygotes do not show any tail abnormalities or flaky skin but develop crusted erosions around the eyes and snout, areas that are normally traumatized by scratching
• nursing mothers display nipple erosions caused by suckling
|
Mouse Models of Human Disease |
DO ID | OMIM ID(s) | Ref(s) | |
pemphigus vulgaris | DOID:0060851 |
OMIM:169610 |
J:40804 |