Content - Volume 71, Issue 2

The cytokine expression on epidermal cells in the allergic patch test reaction (APR) and irritant patch test reaction (IPR) was studied using antibodies against rIL-6, rTNF alpha, rIL-1 alpha and rIL-1 beta in a histochemical biotin-avidin technique. Nickel sulphate was used for APR in 5 nickel allergic patients and sodium lauryl sulphate for IPR in 5 healthy individuals. The individuals served as ...

Fc-receptors for IgG (FcR) on epidermal cells in suspension were studied using soluble immune complexes and monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against FcR I, FcR II and FcR III using an indirect immunofluorescence technique. The binding of immune complexes demonstrated that most Langerhans' cells (greater than 95%) and a proportion of keratinocytes (25 +/- 6%) expressed functional FcR activity. The rea ...

The localization of ornithine decarboxylase gene expression in mouse skin by tumour promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, was investigated using in situ hybridization. After 4 h of treatment with tumour promoter, the grains representing ornithine decarboxylase mRNA increased remarkably in number in the epidermis, especially in the follicular region. When the cells containing more than 5 ...

A male patient with clinically and histopathologically verified Darier's disease and a history of deterioration after sun exposure was irradiated on uninvolved skin with 25, 50 and 75 J/cm2 of UVA once a week for five weeks. He also received 3 and 5 times his individually established MED of UVB. Since no signs of keratosis follicularis were detected one week after the last irradiation, he was then ...

In order to investigate how sunlight may affect naevi and lentigines, their melanocytes and the basement membrane, three irradiation protocols were applied directly to ten naevi and five lentigines on 2 subjects. Neither volunteer had sufficient naevi and lentigines to be able to use the three irradiation protocols on each of the subjects. Skin biopsies were fixed in glutaraldehyde followed by osm ...

Topical PUVA was compared with UVA for the treatment of chronic vesicular hand eczema in a double-blind randomized within-patient trial. Twelve of 15 patients completed 8 weeks' treatment and were followed up for 8 weeks. Both sides improved over the 8-week treatment period (p less than 0.05) and both remained substantially better objectively and subjectively at 8 weeks' follow-up. There was no st ...

Mechanical trauma to genital skin may favor the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. To study differences between vulvar and forearm skin in epidermal repair after standardized trauma, transepidermal water loss, capacitance and pH of forearm and vulvar skin in 10 healthy premenopausal women were monitored for 7 days after a standardized trauma induced by tape stripping to glistening. Vul ...

Three different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and Western blot were compared in regard to the detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in sera from 100 patients with erythema migrans and from 100 controls. For IgG detection, a commercial indirect ELISA kit with flagellum antigen (flagellum ELISA) was significantly more sensitive than the routinely-used indirect ELISA with sonic ...

A study was made of the incidence of basal cell cancer among a population of residents within a limited catchment area in Stockholm during the period 1971-1980. The age-standardized incidence of basal cell cancer increased by an average of 11.9% per year (p less than 0.005) and the incidence rate more than doubled during the ten-year period. There was no statistically significant difference in the ...

Five patients with exercise-induced anaphylactoid reactions are reported. Because of a growing interest in physical exercise and the severity of the symptoms it is important to recognize this condition, even though rare. All of our 5 patients had a history of urticaria and anaphylaxis in association with physical stress, but it seems difficult to induce anaphylactoid reactions under laboratory con ...

A new, non-invasive chamber sampling technique for HPLC analysis of human epidermal urocanic acid isomers is described. Easily processed samples are obtained in a rapid and non-invasive manner, without discomfort to the patient. HPLC data from chamber samples are reproducible, and recorded urocanic acid isomer levels are comparable to those measured in samples taken with tape stripping technique.

It is well known that spontaneous desquamation and corneocyte size can reflect respectively stratum corneum cohesiveness and epidermal cell proliferation. The influence of skin pigmentation on these parameters has been investigated on the upper-outer arm of black, white and oriental volunteers, using the detergent scrub method. We found no difference between race in corneocyte surface area, a mean ...

The antimicrobial properties of three glycols, - propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, and 1,3-butylene glycol - against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes A, Streptococcus mitis, and E. coli were studied in vitro. Within 20 h, 10% and 30% hexylene glycol in fresh tryptic soy broth were able to kill all the micro-organisms listed above. Five pe ...

The stimulation of melanogenesis by L-tyrosine in hamster melanoma is several-fold higher than that by norepinephrine, epinephrine, clonidine and isoproterenol and absent in the case of tyramine dopamine and phenylephrine. Therefore, the melanogenic effect of L-tyrosine in hamster melanoma follows a different pathway than that linked to the activation of dopaminergic and adrenergic receptors.

The zinc absorption from zinc oxide applied on intact and on wounded skin were compared using two vehicles: one containing gum rosin and the other containing hydrocolloids. After treatment of intact human forearm skin for 48 h, the zinc concentration was more than two-fold higher in the epidermis and interstitial fluid beneath the rosin vehicle than beneath the hydrocolloid vehicle. Systemic absor ...

Superoxide generation by blood monocytes was examined in patients with irritant, nickel, and chromate hand dermatitis. Phorbol myristate acetate stimulated monocytes generated significantly more superoxide in patients with nickel dermatitis, as did patients with hand eczema generally. No significant stimulation of monocyte superoxide generation occurred with either opsonized zymosan or PMA in the ...

We have devised a new in vitro model of type I cutaneous anaphylaxis. Male albino rats were sensitized with DNP-Ascaris. Abdominal skin was shaved, and thin, split-thickness slices of skin were cut with a dermatome. The dermis was excised and cut into 100 mg pieces. The dermal tissue was incubated with antigen in Tyrode's solution for 30 min at 37 degrees C. Antigen-induced histamine release from ...

A statistical analysis of the relationship between otitis externa and various clinical and etiological variables was carried out in 64 patients. Between 1988 and 1989, true eczema of the auditory canal was found in 43 of the 64 patients seen sequentially. 23.5% of all the patients found to have dermatitis could be regarded as having allergic contact dermatitis and the allergen identified. This inc ...

In order to establish whether or not here is an association between cancer and intense growth of seborrheic keratosis, the so-called Leser-Trelat sign, we conducted a case control study in which the number and features of seborrheic keratosis in 82 patients with recent solid tumours, were compared with 82 age- and sex-matched controls. Neither numbers nor features of seborrheic keratosis differed ...

Free plasma catecholamines were measured by means of a standardized HPLC method in 50 adult patients with psoriasis and in 18 healthy volunteers. The concentrations of circulating norepinephrine were significantly higher in the psoriasis group (p less than 0.005); by contrast only slight differences were found in the epinephrine and dopamine concentrations. The possible mechanisms leading to these ...

Despite the lack of evidence of an immunologically mediated mechanism for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), glucocorticosteroids are frequently used for the treatment of patients afflicted with TEN. We investigated the data of 216 patients with TEN for therapy with glucocorticosteroids prior to the beginning of TEN. The data had been collected between 1984 and 1985 during the epidemiological study ...

Membrane-bound transglutaminase (TGm) is responsible for the cross-linking of proteins to form the cornified envelope. Since abnormalities have been reported in the envelope in certain ichthyoses, we have carried out a survey of TGm concentrations in scales from these disorders. Surprisingly, a striking and specific increase in enzyme activity was found in patients with non-erythrodermic autosomal ...

One hundred and six patients with acne vulgaris of the face were treated for 10 weeks with either topical meclocycline sulfosalicylate, topical benzoyl peroxide or both preparations. A randomized, double-blind parallel group study was used. Benzoyl peroxide proved more effective than meclocycline in reducing acne lesion counts, while local side effects were more common in the benzoyl peroxide-trea ...

A woman with typical skin lesions of histiocytosis X is reported. Electron microscopic and immunohistochemical investigations revealed a large number of markedly long Birbeck Langerhans' cell granulae. During treatment with Interferon alpha -2b, the patient developed infarctus cerebri and died.