Pemphigus foliaceus(PF) and pemphigus vulgaris(PV) have different target antigens which belong to the desmoglein(DG) subfamily of the desmosomal cadherins; DG in the case of PF and PV antigen(PVA) in the case of PV.

Because DG is also a normal major component of the intercellular adhesive core, we investigated the immunohistochemical distribution of DG in PF to compare and contrast the findings with those of PV.

Immunohistochemical analysis using streptavidin-biotin complex method with anti-DG monoclonal antibody was done in six cases of PF and six cases of PV, as well as two samples of normal skin as control.

Both disorders showed abnormal intense diffuse cytoplasmic staining patterns in the lesional skin. Contrary to PF, showing complete loss of normal, rim-like, membranous staining, two of six cases of PV showed the relatively well preserved normal staining pat-terns in the upper epidermis.

The differences in the expression of DG in the lesional skins between PF and PV suggest that PVA is distinct from DG, although an overlapping of antigens between PF and PV could exist.