Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

A 38-year-old African-American woman presents with chronic lesions on her cheeks, ears, and scalp. On examination, the structure marked **A** shows well-demarcated erythematous scaly plaques with central atrophic scarring and hypopigmented centers surrounded by hyperpigmented borders. Dermoscopy reveals follicular plugging, and histopathology shows hyperkeratosis with vacuolar interface change at the dermal-epidermal junction. Direct immunofluorescence demonstrates granular IgG and C3 deposition at the DEJ. Which of the following best describes the pathogenic mechanism underlying the erythematous scaly plaques marked **A** in this patient?