THE ROLE OF HUMAN SKIN COLLAGENASE IN EPIDERMOLYSIS BULLOSA

Human skin collagenase was quantitated by radioimmunoassay in 40 patients with various forms of epidermolysis bullosa to compare levels of the enzyme in blistered and clinically unaffected skin. Immunoreactive human skin collagenase was significantly elevated in the blistered skin of patients with both recessive and dominant forms of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). In addition, patients with generalized recessive DEB manifested a 4-fold...