Desmoglein-1
Desmoglein-1 (DSG1) is a desmosomal cadherin concentrated in the upper layers of the epidermis, where it pairs with desmocollins to build the desmosomes that mechanically weld keratinocytes together. Its extracellular cadherin repeats mediate calcium-dependent homophilic adhesion, while its cytoplasmic domain anchors intermediate filaments through plakoglobin and desmoplakin. DSG1 is the autoantigen of pemphigus foliaceus, the blistering skin disease in which IgG antibodies against it cause superficial acantholysis. Loss-of-function mutations produce striate palmoplantar keratoderma, and DSG1 haploinsufficiency has been connected to severe dermatitis-allergy syndromes, highlighting its nonredundant role in epidermal barrier integrity.
