Therefore, we addressed in the present study the role of autoantibodies to BP230 in experimental bullous pemphigoid. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies generated against epitopes of the C-terminal fragment of murine BP230 bound to the basement membrane and activated the complement system ex vivo. Affinity-purified antibodies were subsequently subcutaneously transferred into neonatal and adult BALB/c mice. In vivo, we observed a dose-dependent binding of transferred antibodies in the murine skin; however, there was no complement activation and these mice showed no clinical or histological signs of inflammatory disease, in contrast to mice receiving anti-BP180

antibodies. We further conducted ex vivo experiments and demonstrated that rabbit IgG anti-BP230-specific antibodies, in contrast to antibodies from bullous pemphigoid patients or rabbit IgG anti-BP180 antibodies Histone Methyltransf inhibitor used as positive controls, did not activate human granulocytes to induce dermal epidermal separation in skin cryosections. Our present findings demonstrate

C59 that antibodies against BP230 are non-pathogenic in experimental models of bullous pemphigoid and suggest that proper activation of the complement and granulocytes represent prerequisites for conferring bullous pemphigoid autoantibodies their tissue destructive potential. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics.”
“Objectives: PRT062607 order The practice of ‘suicide audit’ refers to the systematic collection of local data on suicides in order to learn lessons and inform suicide prevention plans. Little

is known about the utility of this activity. The aim of this study was to ascertain from Directors of Public Health in England how they were conducting suicide audit and what resources they were investing in it; how the findings were being used, and how the process might be improved. Study design: E-mail survey. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to all 153 Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England prior to their dissolution in 2013. Simple descriptive statistics were performed in an Excel database. Results: Responses were received from 49% of PCTs, of which 83% were conducting a regular audit of deaths by suicide. Many had worked hard to overcome procedural obstacles and were investing huge amounts of time and effort in collecting data, but it is not clear that the findings were being translated effectively into action. With few exceptions, PCTs were unable to demonstrate that the findings of local audits had influenced their suicide prevention plans. Conclusions: In the light of fresh calls for the practice of suicide audit to be made mandatory in England, these results are worrying.