Regional variation in the deposition of subepidermal immunoglobulin in NZB/W F1 mice: association with epidermal DNA synthesis.

We have previously reported that aging NZB/W F1 mice develop irregular immunoglobulin deposits along the dermalepidermal junction similar in appearance to those seen in the visibly normal skin of systemic lupus erythematosus patients. In this report we have extended this observation by showing that the frequency of these deposits varies from site to site in the skin of these animals. This regional variation in frequency of deposits was found to correlate positively with regional differences in rates of epidermal basal cell DNA synthesis as determined by autoradiography. These findings provide an explanation for the observed regional variation in frequency of subepidermal immunoglobulin deposition that occurs in human systemic lupus erythematosus.