EuroGuiderm guideline on lichen sclerosus-introduction into lichen sclerosus.

INTRODUCTION: Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory skin disease affecting all ages. LS typically involves the anogenital site where it causes itching and soreness. It may lead to sexual and urinary dysfunction in females and males; however, it may be asymptomatic. First signs of LS are redness and oedema, typically followed by whitening of the genital skin; sometimes fissuring, scarring, shrinkage and fusion of structures may follow in its course. LS is associated with an increased risk of genital cancer. LS has a huge impact on the quality of life of affected patients, and it is important to raise more awareness of this not uncommon disease in order to diagnose and treat it early. OBJECTIVES: The guideline intends to provide guidance on the diagnostic of LS, highlight important aspects in the care of LS patients (part 1), generate recommendations and treatment algorithms (part 2) on topical, interventional and surgical therapy, based on the latest evidence, provide guidance in the management of LS patients during pregnancy, provide guidance for the follow-up of patients with LS and inform about new developments and potential research aspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The guideline was developed in accordance with the EuroGuiDerm Methods Manual v1.3 https://www.edf.one/de/home/Guidelines/EDF-EuroGuiDerm.html. The wording of the recommendations was standardized (as suggested by the GRADE Working Group). The guideline development group is comprised of 34 experts from 16 countries, including 5 patient representatives. RESULTS: Ultrapotent or potent topical corticosteroids in females and males, adults and children remain gold standard of care for genital LS; co-treatment with emollients is recommended. If standard treatment fails in males, a surgical intervention is recommended, complete circumcision may cure LS in males. UV light treatment is recommended for extragenital LS; however, there is limited scientific evidence. Topical calcineurin inhibitors are second line treatment. Laser treatment, using various wave lengths, is under investigation, and it can currently not be recommended for the treatment of LS. Treatment with biologics is only reported in single cases. CONCLUSIONS: LS has to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible in order to minimize sequelae like scarring and cancer development. Topical potent and ultrapotent corticosteroids are the gold standard of care; genital LS is often a lifelong disease and needs to be treated long-term.

EuroGuiderm guideline on lichen sclerosus-Treatment of lichen sclerosus.

INTRODUCTION: Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory skin disease affecting all ages. LS typically involves the anogenital site where it causes itching and soreness; it may lead to sexual and urinary dysfunction in females and males; however, it may be asymptomatic. First signs of LS are usually a whitening of the genital skin, sometimes preceded by redness and oedema; fissuring, scarring, shrinkage and fusion of structures may follow in its course. LS is associated with an increased risk of genital cancer. LS has a huge impact on the quality of life of affected patients, and it is important to raise more awareness of this not uncommon disease in order to diagnose and treat it early. OBJECTIVES: The guideline intends to provide guidance on the diagnostic of LS (part 1), highlight important aspects in the care of LS patients, generate recommendations and treatment algorithms (part 2) on topical, interventional and surgical therapy, based on the latest evidence, provide guidance in the management of LS patients during pregnancy, provide guidance for the follow-up of patients with LS and inform about new developments and potential research aspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The guideline was developed in accordance with the EuroGuiDerm Methods Manual v1.3 https://www.edf.one/de/home/Guidelines/EDF-EuroGuiDerm.html. The wording of the recommendations was standardized (as suggested by the GRADE Working Group). The guideline development group is comprised of 34 experts from 16 countries, including 5 patient representatives. RESULTS: Ultrapotent or potent topical corticosteroids in females and males, adults and children remain gold standard of care for genital LS; co-treatment with emollients is recommended. If standard treatment fails in males, a surgical intervention is recommended, complete circumcision may cure LS in males. UV light treatment is recommended for extragenital LS; however, there is limited scientific evidence. Topical calcineurin inhibitors are second line treatment. Laser treatment, using various wave lengths, is under investigation, and it can currently not be recommended for the treatment of LS. Treatment with biologics is only reported in single cases. CONCLUSIONS: LS has to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible in order to minimize sequelae like scarring and cancer development. Topical potent and ultrapotent corticosteroids are the gold standard of care; genital LS is often a lifelong disease and needs to be treated long-term.

Smoking is highly associated with discoid lupus erythematosus and lupus erythematosus tumidus: analysis of 405 patients.

BACKGROUND: Environmental factors appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of lupus erythematosus (LE). OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between cigarette smoking and various types of cutaneous LE. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study at a dermatology clinic of a tertiary referral hospital. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with cutaneous and/or systemic LE from January 2000 to December 2012 at the outpatient clinic for dermatological autoimmune diseases were analyzed. RESULTS: 405 patients were diagnosed with LE. Smokers were more common among patients with cutaneous LE, especially those with LE tumidus or discoid LE. The frequency of cigarette smokers was not significantly higher among patients with other LE-specific skin lesions and patients with systemic LE compared to the general population. Smoking at the onset of disease was associated with LE tumidus (odds ratio OR 4.5), discoid LE (OR 2.05), the male gender (OR 3.31), age < 50 years (OR 1.03), and photosensitivity (OR 2.07). LIMITATIONS: A retrospective descriptive study at a tertiary referral hospital. CONCLUSION: Smoking is highly associated with cutaneous LE, but not systemic LE. Various risk factors appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous and systemic LE.

Cerebral large vessel vasculitis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is defined by involvement of the central nervous system in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with a wide range of both neurological and psychiatric manifestations. Although its aetiopathogenesis is not fully elucidated, NPSLE seems to be a consequence of cerebral vascular pathology including thromboembolism, small-vessel vasculopathy and, in rare cases, true vasculitis. Cerebral vasculitis is rare, and cerebral large-vessel vasculitis in SLE is even more unusual. We report the case of a female patient with the diagnosis of SLE. She presented with stroke-like symptoms, headache and vertigo, and palpable purpura on her legs. Further investigations revealed that she suffered from both vasculitis of the cerebral large vessels and coexisting cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis.

Hepatitis C and autoimmunity: a therapeutic challenge.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes not only acute and chronic liver disease, but also extrahepatic symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a patient who developed simultaneously subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus and a small CD20+ B-cell clone because of chronic HCV infection and relapse after standard of care therapy (pegylated interferon plus ribavirin). Treatment with rituximab, a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, was successful.

Analysis of 303 Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients: is this antibody a possible marker for malignancy?

BACKGROUND: The risk of cancer in patients with autoimmune diseases has been investigated in several studies. Ro/SS-A antibodies are frequent and specific autoantibodies among patients with various autoimmune diseases. OBJECTIVES: To assess the risk of cancer in individuals with positive Ro/SS-A antibodies and to analyse their clinical and laboratory characteristics. METHODS: Consecutive patients (n = 303) with Ro/SS-A antibody positivity were collected during 11 years in our outpatient clinic for autoimmune diseases and were retrospectively analysed. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all cancers were calculated. In addition, we identified further clinical and laboratory characteristics of Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients indicating the development or existence of a malignancy. RESULTS: Fifty (16·5%) patients were diagnosed with malignancies. Ro/SS-A antibody was strongly associated with malignant diseases (SIR 2·6, 95% CI 1·9-6·1), particularly melanoma (SIR 33·3, 95% CI 5·2-188·6), T-cell lymphoma (SIR 16·7, 95% CI 2·9-128·9), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR 10·6, 95% CI 1·5-78·9) and breast carcinoma (SIR 4·98, 95% CI 1·3-28·3). Logistic regression modelling revealed that Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients aged 55 years or older, presenting with fever, anaemia and cutaneous lupus erythematosus, have a greater probability of developing cancer and are considered high-risk patients, as compared with Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients with none of the mentioned clinical criteria. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort of Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients, an overall increased risk of malignancy was noticed. Regular screening tests including imaging and laboratory values are justified in Ro/SS-A antibody-positive patients who exhibit the mentioned clinical criteria.

Serum amyloid P component binds to cell nuclei in vitro and to in vivo deposits of extracellular chromatin in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Serum amyloid P component (SAP) is the single plasma protein that, from the milieu of whole normal human serum, undergoes specific calcium-dependent binding to isolated DNA and chromatin in vitro. We now report for the first time that SAP in whole serum also undergoes calcium-dependent binding to nuclei of epidermal cells in sections of normal human skin and to nuclei of fixed Hep-2 cells, a human epithelial cell line. Furthermore, and most importantly, SAP was detected in association with unusual globular dermal deposits of nuclear material in skin biopsies from two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This is the first evidence for binding of SAP to extracellular chromatin in vivo and supports the idea that SAP may have an important physiological role in the disposal of this material.

DC-sign+ CD163+ macrophages expressing hyaluronan receptor LYVE-1 are located within chorion villi of the placenta.

The purpose of this study was to investigate with immunohistochemical methods antigen presenting cells and their relationship to blood and lymphatic vessels in human term placenta. Fetal placental antigen presenting cells, historically also known as Hofbauer cells, were located in the chorionic villi below the syncytiotrophoblast and in the vicinity of fetal capillaries. DC-SIGN/CD209 expression was observed on CD163+, CD68+, CD45+, HLA-A,B,C+, DC-LAMP/CD208-, CD86-, Langerin/CD207-, FXIIIa-, CD1a- cells consistent with the macrophage nature of these cells. These fetal DC-SIGN+ cells lack HLA-DR, -DP, -DQ expression. Moreover, we show for the first time that they co-express the hyaluronan receptor LYVE-1. In contrast, no LYVE-1+ vessel structures, i.e. lymphatic vessels, were detected. Human term decidua hosted a variety of CD45+ cells, further phenotyped as CD163+, DC-SIGN+, CD68+, HLA-DR+, HLA-A,B,C+. Mature dendritic cells were never observed in human term placenta. In summary, human term placenta is an immunoprivileged organ without lymphatic drainage and with numerous DC-SIGN+ macrophages within the chorionic villi. We hypothesize that these cells may fulfil a function in innate responses against pathogens as well as be involved in the homeostasis of hyaluronan metabolism in the rapidly differentiating placenta.

Successful use of anakinra to treat refractory Schnitzler's syndrome.

Schnitzler's syndrome is a rather rare disease which may appear in a rheumatologist's office because patients often report rheumatic symptoms with joint, bone and muscle pain. However, it is characterized by chronic urticaria, recurrent fever, liver and spleen enlargement, osteosclerosis, and lymphadenopathy, in conjunction with a serum IgM M component. A patient who had been treated with relatively high doses of corticosteroids for 10 years with insufficient response was treated with the IL-1 receptor antagonist anakinra, this led to a complete resolution of symptoms.

Fallopian tube cancer associated with paraneoplastic dermatomyositis -- asymptomatic multivisceral exacerbated dermatomyositis mimicking recurrent widespread malignant disease: case report.

OBJECTIVE: To report an uncommon case of a recurrent episode of primarily paraneoplastic dermatomyositis which was completely disconnected from the initially triggering malignancy and manifested as a silent pure multivisceral exacerbation. CASE: A 70-year-old woman presented with a pure multivisceral episode of dermatomyositis without characteristic musculo-cutaneous symptoms one year after successful treatment of fallopian tube carcinoma with complete resolvement of a concomittant paraneoplastic dermatomyositis. The uncommon manifestation of recurrent dermatomyositis involving the lungs, spleen and liver, both adrenal glands and abdominal lymph nodes, mimicked a highly disseminated recurrence of the fallopian tube cancer. Physicians participating in the interdisciplinary tumor board were misled to opt for reinductive chemotherapy. Only histologic diagnosis obtained from multiple biopsies uncovered the inflammatory nature of the disease and spared the patient unneeded chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic multivisceral dermatomyositis may mimic metastatic spread of the initially underlying malignancy and may misdirect therapeutic strategies towards inadequate antineoplastic treatment.

Skin manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus refractory to multiple treatment modalities: poor results with mycophenolate mofetil.

OBJECTIVE: Skin disease can be one of the most refractory clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The standard therapy consists of sunscreens, topical corticosteroids and antimalarials. However in difficult cases a variety of other drugs have been tried. Here we describe our clinical experience with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in patients with cutaneous manifestations of SLE. METHODS: Seven patients with SLE and skin involvement (including acute cutaneous lupus, subacute cutaneous lupus, discoid lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, urticarial rash and chilblain lupus) who had received treatment with MMF were included. The clinical characteristics, serologicalfindings and response to treatment were recalledfrom retrospective review of the files. RESULTS: Our results showed no response in 5 patients, partial response in 1 patient and initial response but skin flare whilst on MMF in 1 patient. The median dose of MMF was 2 g (range 2-3 g). Adverse events on MMF were mild, mainly gastrointestinal and occurred in 5 patients. No patients discontinued MMF due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: MMF appears not to be particularly effective in the treatment of skin disease in SLE. It should be noted that our group of patients had previously failed to respond to a median of 4 (range 2-10) different drugs used to treat SLE skin disease. Thus, the patients in the study could be considered at the severe end of skin disease spectrum.

Epidermal Langerhans cells in myelodysplastic syndromes are abnormal.

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) represent clonal disorders of the hematopoietic stem cell that are associated with quantitative and qualitative disturbances of the peripheral blood cells and a high risk for the transition to overt leukemia. As epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) are bone-marrow-derived cells, we were interested to see whether they are altered in patients with MDS. Epidermal sheets were prepared from biopsies taken from the thighs of nine patients with MDS and five control persons and processed for immunoperoxidase staining of CD1a antigens. The density and morphology of CD1a+ cells (i.e., LC) was evaluated by visual assessment as well as automatic image analysis. The density of LC was reduced in seven of nine patients (range, 30-75% of normal), whereas the morphology of LC appeared to be altered in all MDS patients in that the LC displayed large and bizarre cell bodies with only a few and often abnormally long dendrites. The HLA-DR expression by LC was not altered, as shown by double immunofluorescence staining of CD1a and HLA-DR antigens. Ultrastructurally, LC again appeared enlarged and often presented with bizarre nuclei, yet displayed no other abnormalities. Our findings suggest that LC are abnormal in MDS and might even indicate a more wide-spread involvement of the dendritic cell lineage in this syndrome.

Characterization of expression and modulation of cell adhesion molecules on an immortalized human dermal microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1).

We have recently reported the creation of the first immortalized cell line derived from human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1). In preliminary studies this line was found to closely resemble microvascular endothelial cells in regard to many phenotypic characteristics. Because two key functional features of endothelial cells are their ability to bind to peripheral blood leukocytes and extracellular matrix proteins via cell adhesion molecules, we have now characterized HMEC-1 in terms of expression and regulation of cell adhesion molecules of the integrin, immunoglobulin gene superfamily, and selectin families. HMEC-1 can either constitutively express or can be induced to express key integrins, including alpha-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, -6, and -V, as well as beta-1, -3, -4, and -5. They also express or are capable of expressing immunoglobulin gene superfamily molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and a member of the selectin family, E-selectin. A number of important cell adhesion molecules that are either constitutively expressed or that must be induced are regulated in a time- and dose-dependent fashion by selected cytokines. Experiments comparing the phenotypic characteristics of HMEC-1 with human dermal microvascular endothelial cells or human umbilical vein endothelial cells reveal HMEC-1 to have features of both small- and large-vessel endothelial cells.

Identification of activating c-kit mutations in adult-, but not in childhood-onset indolent mastocytosis: a possible explanation for divergent clinical behavior.

Mastocytosis represents a mast cell proliferative disease that generally runs a benign clinical course, with spontaneous remissions mostly by puberty in childhood-onset disease, although rare forms, particularly in adult-onset disease, can be associated with (pre)malignant hematologic disorders and very rarely present as mast cell leukemia or malignant mastocytosis. Reasons for this divergent clinical behavior of childhood- versus adult-onset disease are unknown. Recently, two activating mutations in the intracellular domain of the proto-oncogene c-kit, which encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor for the mast cell growth factor stem cell factor, have been detected in the human leukemic mast cell line HMC-1. We have therefore studied lesional skin biopsies from patients with adult- and childhood-onset indolent mastocytosis for the presence of these codon 560 and 816 mutations. C-kit coding DNA sequences were amplified and analyzed by mutation-specific restriction analyses, and mutated polymerase chain reaction products were additionally cloned and sequenced. The codon 816 mutation was found in all six samples from adult patients, but not in any of the 11 specimens from children. In addition, the codon 560 mutation could be demonstrated for the first time in indolent mastocytosis, namely in two of four specimens from adult patients, but not in those from two children. These data thus provide a possible explanation for the divergent clinical behavior of adult- versus childhood-onset indolent mastocytosis, with the first being associated with an activating mutation, possibly as part of a neoplastic process, and the latter representing most likely a reactive process of an as yet unknown pathogenesis.

Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells express inducible nitric oxide synthase in vitro.

Stimulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase with subsequent release of nitric oxide in large amounts may play a critical part either in host defense reactions or in the pathophysiology of the inflammatory response syndrome leading to septic shock. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether human dermal microvascular endothelial cells exhibit the typical characteristics of an inducible nitric oxide synthase expressing cell. A strong effect on inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression could be detected when the cells were coincubated with the proinflammatory cytokines interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha with inducible nitric oxide synthase cDNA concentrations averaging 11.7 +/- 0.6 amol per microg total RNA at 24 h, and 25.0 +/- 1.4 amol per microg total RNA at 48 h, respectively. Intracellular staining with an antibody recognizing inducible nitric oxide synthase protein and subsequent analysis by flow cytometry revealed a 4-fold increase of inducible nitric oxide synthase protein in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells treated with interferon-gamma/tumor necrosis factor-alpha. This was accompanied by a significant elevation in nitrite/nitrate concentrations in the cell-free culture supernatants. Our results indicate that human dermal microvascular endothelial cells are provided with an inducible nitric oxide synthase system and can be regarded as an appropriate cell model for investigating inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression and nitric oxide properties in microvascular endothelial cells.

Transcription and expression of transforming growth factor type beta in the skin of progressive systemic sclerosis: a mediator of fibrosis?

Progressive systemic sclerosis is characterized by extensive generalized fibrotic destruction associated with increased accumulation of collagen and other extracellular macromolecules in the skin and other involved organs. It has been suggested that mediators released from mononuclear or endothelial cells play a critical role in the initial activation of connective tissue metabolism. Transforming growth factors beta(TGF-beta 1, TGF-beta 2) mediate the inhibition of epithelial cell proliferation and the induction of fibronectin and collagen gene expression. Therefore, we investigated the distribution of both TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2 mRNA and the final proteins in PSS skin in comparison with other inflammatory dermatoses and healthy controls by means of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Our studies revealed TGF-beta 1 and -beta 2 mRNA in dermal and subcutaneous infiltrating cells in both acute and chronic PSS, but also in the other inflammatory skin disorders. In the vicinity of this infiltrate single TGF-beta positive fibroblasts could be found in acute PSS. The cytoplasm of epithelial cells of all skin adnexa showed TGF-beta transcripts and no apparent differences were seen in the distribution and number of autoradiographic grains between diseased and healthy skin samples. Especially, we could demonstrate abundant expression of TGF-beta 1/2 in epithelial hair follicle cells of the outer root sheath. Generally, the expression of TGF-beta 2 was less abundant than TGF-beta 1. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the same distribution pattern of the final proteins. Our data indicate that TGF-beta expression in infiltrating cells is not a specific feature of fibrotic disease, but seems to be associated with highly proliferating cells in general, perhaps functioning as common mediator in regulation of cellular physiology with special importance for negative control of cell growth.

Interaction of HSV-1 infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells with cultured dermal microvascular endothelial cells: a potential model for the pathogenesis of HSV-1 induced erythema multiforme.

The effect of herpes virus infection on human dermal microvascular endothelial cells and herpes-virus-1-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells on human dermal microvascular endothelial cells was studied as a model of herpes-associated erythema multiforme. After infection of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells with native herpes virus and overnight culture, 60%--90% of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells showed cytopathic effects. HLA class I molecules and CD31 (PECAM-1) surface expression in herpes-virus-infected endothelial cells were substantially downregulated, whereas CD54 (ICAM-1) remained unchanged. Cocultivation with herpes-virus-1-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells left characteristic plaques on the human dermal microvascular endothelial cell monolayer; however, very few human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (1%--3%) were infected. Adhesion molecule expression of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells cocultivated with herpes-virus-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells demonstrated a 5-fold increase in CD54 expression, a 2-fold increase in HLA class I expression, but no change of CD31 by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. Incubation of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells with ultraviolet-C irradiated herpes-virus-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells had no effect on morphology or adhesion molecule expression levels. Changes of adhesion molecule expression by direct infection or cocultivation with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (with native and ultraviolet-C inactivated herpes virus infection) were also documented at the mRNA level. Adhesion assays demonstrated an increased binding of herpes-virus-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells versus noninfected peripheral blood mononuclear cells to noninfected human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. Our results suggest that incubation of herpes-virus-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells with human dermal microvascular endothelial cells induces significant upregulation of CD54 and major histocompatibility complex class I molecules in the surrounding noninfected human dermal microvascular endothelial cells, which is associated with an increased binding of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our in vitro findings may serve as a model for herpes-associated erythema multiforme possibly explaining the dermal inflammatory reaction seen in that condition.

Polarized expression and basic fibroblast growth factor-induced down-regulation of the alpha 6 beta 4 integrin complex on human microvascular endothelial cells.

Endothelial cells rest on a basement membrane that anchors them to the vessel wall. The alpha 6 beta 4 integrin complex has been described on epithelial cells, frequently localizes to basement-membrane structures, and appears to play a role in binding epithelial cells to laminin. We have determined that human microvascular endothelial cells express the beta 4 integrin chain in vivo and that it preferentially localizes to the endothelial basement membrane. Human microvascular endothelial cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells also express cell-surface beta 4 in vitro. In addition, the expression of beta 4 appears to be polarized to the undersurface of endothelial cell monolayers in vitro, mimicking its in vivo localization. Stimulation of microvascular endothelial cells with basic fibroblast growth factor or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, agents previously shown to induce endothelial cell migration in vitro, resulted in a marked decrease in cell-surface expression of the beta 4 integrin chain, associated with a decrease in beta 4 mRNA. These data demonstrate that human endothelial cells express the beta 4 integrin chain in vivo and in vitro, the expression of this integrin chain is polarized, and its expression is regulated on microvascular endothelial cells by factors important in wound healing and vascular regeneration.