ABNORMALITIES OF FIBRILLIN IN ACQUIRED CUTIS LAXA

Background: Degeneration of elastic tissue in acquired cutis laxa has been previously described, but microfibrils have not been adequately s tudied. Objective: We determined whether the microfibrillar component of elastic tissue is affected in skin of a patient with acquired cutis laxa. Methods: Lesional skin was examined with indirect immunofluores cence and immunoelectron microscopy with antibodies to fibrillin. Resu lts: Indirect immunofluorescence showed a reduction in the distributio n of fibrillin in the papillary dermis, where there was loss of the us ual pattern of microfibrils perpendicular to the epidermis. Immunoelec tron microscopy showed a typical distribution of elastic microfibrils around elastin of normal skin. In skin affected by cutis laxa microfib rils appeared morphologically normal but appeared less frequently in s elected sites. Conclusion: The microfibrillar component of elastic fib ers was reduced in the papillary dermis of this patient with acquired cutis laxa.