In vivo, LE cell-like phagocytes in bullous systemic lupus erythematosus

In vivo, LE cells were found in direct smears of pleural, pericardial, and articular effusions from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of LE cell formation in bullous SLE lesions. A considerable number of LE cell-like phagocytes were present in blister effusions from three out of five patients with bullous SLE. No such cells were observed in 22 non-bullous SLE lesions, nor in 12 and 10 blistering lesions from bullous pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris, respectively. Nuclear material containing fragmented DNA, an essential factor in LE cell formation, was detected in a bullous SLE lesion. In vivo, LE cell formation is not uncommon in bullous SLE.