Differentially hypomethylated cell-free DNA and coronary collateral circulation.

BACKGROUND: The factors affecting cardioprotective collateral circulation are still incompletely understood. Recently, characteristics, such as CpG methylation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA), have been reported as markers with clinical utility. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether cfDNA methylation patterns are associated with the grade of coronary collateral circulation (CCC). RESULT: In this case-control study, clinical and angiographic data were obtained from 143 patients (mean age, 58 years, male 71%) with chronic total coronary occlusion. Enzymatic methyl-sequencing (EM-seq) libraries were prepared using the cfDNA extracted from the plasma. Data were processed to obtain the average methylation fraction (AMF) tables of genomic regions from which blacklisted regions were removed. Unsupervised analysis of the obtained AMF values showed that some of the changes in methylation were due to CCC. Through random forest preparation process, 256 differentially methylated region (DMR) candidates showing strong association with CCC were selected. A random forest classifier was then constructed, and the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve indicated an appropriate predictive function for CCC. Finally, 20 DMRs were identified to have significantly different AMF values between the good and poor CCC groups. Particularly, the good CCC group exhibited hypomethylated DMRs. Pathway analysis revealed five pathways, including TGF-beta signaling, to be associated with good CCC. CONCLUSION: These data have demonstrated that differential hypomethylation was identified in dozens of cfDNA regions in patients with good CCC. Our results support the clinical utility of noninvasively obtained epigenetic signatures for predicting collateral circulation in patients with vascular diseases.

Treatment of facial acne papules and pustules in Korean patients using an intense pulsed light device equipped with a 530- to 750-nm filter.

BACKGROUND: A rising number of laser- or light-based therapies are addressing the need for effective acne treatments with minimal downtime. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate an intense pulsed light (IPL) equipped with a 530- to 750-nm filter for inflammatory acne treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty female patients (mean age, 25.7 years) with mild-to-moderate acne were enrolled. While using benzoyl peroxide (BP) gel, one side of the face was treated with the PR filter (acne filter) of the IPL. RESULTS: All patients experienced the reduction of inflammatory lesion counts in both sides of face. There was no significant difference between IPL-treated and untreated sides of the face for mean papule plus pustule counts, 3 weeks after three sessions. As to red macules, 63% were good or excellent on the laser-treated side compared to 33% on the untreated side. Improvement of irregular pigmentation and skin tone was detected on the laser-treated side than the untreated side. CONCLUSION: This new wavelength band of IPL system was safe and effective in improving acne red macules, irregular pigmentation, and skin tone but did not affect inflammatory acne lesion counts on the skin of Asian persons.

Acquired ichthyosis associated with an overlap syndrome of systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Acquired ichthyosis is a condition accompanying many systemic illnesses such as lymphoma, sarcoidosis, dermatomyositis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Overlap syndromes are defined as clinical entities which satisfy each of the diagnostic criteria of two different connective tissue diseases concurrently or consecutively. The coexistence of SLE with systemic sclerosis has been very rarely reported. We describe a 33-year-old woman with an overlap syndrome consisting of systemic sclerosis and SLE who developed ichthyosis on her extremities.