{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T01:07:19Z","timestamp":1760058439189,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,10]],"date-time":"2025-04-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1744243200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Georgia Dermatopathology Associates"},{"name":"Mineros SA"},{"name":"Japan International Cooperation Office (JICA) Colombia Office"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Patients suffering from a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus in El Bagre, Colombia, South America (El Bagre-EPF) produce autoantibodies (Abs) to different proteins in the skin (frustre form), as well as to those in other organs (Senear\u2013Usher-like and systemic forms). Here, we hypothesize whether patients\u2019 autoantibodies play a role in triggering epicardium and pericardium autoimmunity and pathogenicity. We based this hypothesis on knowing that these patients frequently show clinical symptoms of the chest and heart, and we hypothesize that the autoantibodies of this disease are the main contributors to the base of the pericardial conditions of these patients. Materials and Methods: A case-control study for testing the sera of patients affected by El Bagre-EPF (n = 45) and matched controls from the endemic area (n = 45) was conducted to evaluate reactivity with the pericardial tissue. Patients\u2019 necropsies were tested by immunohistochemistry (IHC), in El Bagre-EPF patients (n = 7) and matched controls. Results: The sera from most El Bagre-EPF patients displayed polyclonal autoreactivity with both layers of the pericardium, i.e., fibrous pericardium and serous pericardium (mainly to cell junctions and sensory nerve formations), as well as with the neurovascular cell junction branches. Controls were negative (p &lt; 0.1). These reactivities were detected by IIF, CM, and IHC using secondary Abs against total IgG, IgM, Kappa and lambda, C3C of the complement, fibrinogen, and albumin. Furthermore, Abs against MIZAP, ARVCF, desmoplakin I-II, and p0071 colocalized with the Abs of El Bagre-EPF (p &lt; 0.1). Conclusions: Patients affected by El Bagre-EPF produce autoantibodies directed against molecules present in the cell junctions of the pericardium and adnexal structures. Further studies will focus on the clinical significance of these findings.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics15080964","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,10]],"date-time":"2025-04-10T11:26:41Z","timestamp":1744284401000},"page":"964","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Pericardium Cells Junctions Are a Target for Autoantibodies of Patients Affected by a Variant of Endemic Pemphigus Foliaceus in El Bagre and Surrounding Municipalities in Colombia, South America"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7692-4133","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Maria","family":"Abreu Velez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Georgia Dermatopathology Associates, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0144-3255","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Takashi","family":"Hashimoto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka 545-8585, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9348-6227","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yulieth A.","family":"Upegui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group in Infections and Health in the Tropics, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 16486 Bogota, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jorge Mario","family":"V\u00e9lez Arango","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Diagnostic Aids, Research Group on Images & AI in Health, SURA, Cra. 43A#5A-113, Medell\u00edn, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Adriana Milena","family":"Olarte Aponte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Program in Basic Sciences, Universidad Colegio Mayor de Cundinamarca (UCMC), 110311 Bogota, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1276-0018","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jose A.","family":"Vega","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda y Biolog\u00eda Celular, Grupo Sistema Nervioso Perif\u00e9rico y \u00d3rganos de los Sentidos, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain"},{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Chile, Providencia \u00c1rea Metropolitana, 7500912 Santiago, Chile"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Michael S.","family":"Howard","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Georgia Dermatopathology Associates, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"53","article-title":"Aspectos originais do P\u00eanfigo Foli\u00e1ceo no Brasil","volume":"46","year":"1971","journal-title":"An. 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