UV light-induced linear IgA dermatosis

Various exogenous factors (eg, drugs, dietary antigens, trauma, infections, radiographs, and UV radiation) are known to induce or aggravate skin diseases. UV radiation in particular is known to induce or aggravate the autoimmune bullous diseases of pemphigus foliaceus, pemphigus vulgaris, and bullous pemphigoid. Its role in linear IgA dermatosis, however, is not well recognized. We report the second case of linear IgA dermatosis induced by intense sun exposure in which blistering was induced by UVA radiation. Furthermore, a review of the literature on photoinduced autoimmune bullous diseases and the wavelengths responsible for the induction of blistering is presented and several proposed mechanisms of action for the blister induction, including release or unmasking of antigens, promotion of antibody fixation by UV radiation, and launching of an inflammatory process, are discussed. We conclude that linear IgA dermatosis should be added to the list of autoimmune bullous diseases induced and/or aggravated by UV radiation.