Dermatitis herpetiformis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that is considered the specific cutaneous expression of celiac disease. Both dermatitis herpetiformis and celiac disease are multifactorial disorders in which genetic and environmental triggering factors play a crucial role, leading to the disregulation of the immune response and thus to the development of specific lesions in skin and small bowel, respectively.

However, the specific pathogenetic mechanisms of both diseases are still not fully known and it is still unclear why only a small rate of subjects with celiac disease will develop dermatitis herpetiformis. Moreover, the reasons that lead to loss of tolerance and to the initiation of the IgA-mediated immune response that can be observed in both diseases remain to be determined.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the pathogenesis underlying dermatitis herpetiformis and, more in general, the gluten-sensitive enteropathies, the development of strategies to treat these conditions, and the evaluation of outcomes. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• New clinical and immunopathological features of dermatitis herpetiformis
• Novel advances in the pathomechanism of the spectrum dermatitis herpetiformis/celiac disease
• Loss of tolerance and immune disregulation in dermatitis herpetiformis
• Role of the IgA-mediated immune response in the pathogenesis of the spectrum dermatitis herpetiformis/celiac disease
• New immunological diagnostic markers and diagnostic strategies
• Novel therapeutic approaches for gluten-sensitive entheropathies based on the recent immunopathological advances

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