Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a severe autoimmune blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes. As autoantibodies play an essential role in the disease pathogenesis, the serological detection of anti-desmoglein 3 IgG represents a central tool in the diagnosis of the disease. In this study, we show the validation of a novel lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) which rapidly detects anti-desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) IgG in human serum. In contrast to other diagnostic procedures, the assay is compact and simple to perform and delivers a fast "yes" or "no" answer within 10 minutes without additional hardware requirements for test evaluation. For validation, a blinded collection of 200 sera including 100 sera from 14 PV patients, 75 sera from 24 bullous pemphigoid patients and 25 sera from 6 patients with pemphigus foliaceus collected at different time points during disease was used. Presence or non-presence of anti-Dsg3 IgG within sera was confirmed using a commercially available Dsg3-ELISA. For qualitative evaluation, Dsg3-LFIA test results were assessed by two independent groups of human observers. Furthermore, quantitative evaluation using POCScan reader was applied. The Dsg3-LFIA demonstrated reliable test results with a sensitivity and specificity of 78.1% and 97.1%, respectively. Test results from POCScan and human observers showed a substantial agreement. The Dsg3-LFIA represents a new diagnostic tool for the immediate and reliable detection of anti-desmoglein 3 serum IgG autoantibodies that does not require additional hardware. Further prospective trials are warranted to validate the Dsg3 LFIA in pemphigus.

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The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of fertilized hen's eggs represents a unique and alternative model for cancer research. The CAM model provides an optimal platform for xenografting cancer cell lines and studying essential key factors. Tumor size and growth as well as angiogenesis can be investigated to evaluate the response of therapies and strategies against cancer. Preclinical imaging represented by magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography/computed tomography can generate detailed anatomical and functional information and reveal excellent metabolic sensitivity. In the following, a guideline is introduced in order to find a simplified entrance to the CAM model in combination with modern preclinical imaging techniques. Finally, the presented procedures are additionally completed by histological studies in the form of hematoxylin and eosin as well as immunohistochemical staining.