Epidemiological analysis of the patients with psoriasis in Asian countries and region using the same clinical case cards between 2020 and 2022.

Although many epidemiological surveys for patients with psoriasis have been reported based on individual countries or facilities, there has been no study encompassing the major countries or the region in Asia. The Asian Society for Psoriasis (ASP) has been conducting an epidemiological study across various Asian countries and regions to elucidate the and compare the epidemiology of psoriasis. A total of 1948 cases were analyzed, with 938 cases from Japan, 530 cases from China, 325 cases from Korea, 141 cases from Chinese Taipei, and 14 cases from Thailand, all of which were enrolled between 2020 and 2022. In the Asian region total, the male-female ratio was 1.87:1 and the peak age at disease onset was 20-29 years. The proportion of psoriasis vulgaris (PsV), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and pustular psoriasis (PP) was 80.1%, 17.7%, and 2.2%, respectively, and PsA was more commonly associated with nail symptoms than psoriasis vulgaris (PsV). Of the patients, 13% had a familial history of psoriasis and the most frequently affected family member was the father. Regarding treatment, 78.3% of the patients received topical medications, 9.0% underwent phototherapy, 34.0% received oral medications, and 36.1% were treated with biological agents. This study provided valuable information on the epidemiology and treatment of psoriasis using the registry data collected with the common reporting form in the same period in major Asian countries and regions. Male predominance is a distinctive feature of psoriasis in Asia. This epidemiological data registry in the ASP will continue afterwards.

Linear arrangement of hypopigmented Spitz nevi on the ear after trauma.

A 10-year-old boy had multiple papules after surgery on a primary lesion on his left ear. The papules were pink and showed a linear arrangement around the helix. Histopathological examination of two separate lesions showed proliferation of epithelioid cells in the dermis and some of them formed nests. No melanin was found in the epithelioid cells, and immunohistochemistry staining with S100, HMB45 and Melan-A were positive in the neoplasm cells. According to the clinical and histopathological characteristics, it was diagnosed as hypopigmented Spitz nevi with linear arrangement after trauma.

Oral administration of Yokukansan inhibits the development of atopic dermatitis-like lesions in isolated NC/Nga mice.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests that stress can trigger and exacerbate atopic dermatitis (AD). Psychotherapy is becoming more important in the treatment of AD patients. Yokukansan (YKS, Yi-Gan San in Chinese), a traditional Japanese medicine, has been widely utilized in the treatment of neurosis, insomnia and anxiety especially in Asian countries. Furthermore, it was reported that YKS inhibited skin lesions in socially isolated mice but not in group-housed mice. Therefore, in the present study it was investigated whether or not YKS was effective in the treatment of AD using socially isolated NC/Nga mice. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to assess the effect of YKS on the development of AD-like lesions in socially isolated NC/Nga mice to obtain information about its usefulness in the treatment of AD. METHODS: Ten-week-old male NC/Nga mice were socially isolated under conventional conditions. YKS was administered orally to mice at the dose of 0.5% or 1.0% together with diet. The efficacy of YKS was evaluated by assessing skin lesion severity, scratching behaviors, skin hydration, and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the skin. Grooming behaviors evoked by social isolation stress and serum corticosterone levels were also measured. RESULTS: Oral administration of YKS to socially isolated NC/Nga mice resulted in the inhibition of exacerbation of AD-like skin lesions. It seemed that the inhibition of exacerbation of AD-like skin lesions observed in NC/Nga mice might be due to suppression of the scratching and grooming behaviors, inhibition of the infiltration of mast cells and eosinophils, and retention of humidity in the skin. Serum corticosterone levels were also significantly inhibited in the 1%-YKS-treated mice as compared with those of the control mice. There were no significant differences in the levels of serum total IgE and nerve growth factor (NGF) between the YKS-treated mice and the non-treated control mice. CONCLUSION: YKS inhibited the development of AD-like skin lesions in socially isolated NC/Nga mice by suppressing scratching and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the skin. These results indicate that YKS possesses an anti-itching property, and its anti-itching may be partly through attenuation on social isolation stress. It is expected that YKS might provide an effective alternative therapy for AD in human patients.

Identification of poly-reactive natural IgM antibody that recognizes late apoptotic cells and promotes phagocytosis of the cells.

UNLABELLED: Natural IgM can recognize apoptotic cells, but the molecular structure and the role in macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic cells remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: (1) To examine the binding of previously isolated natural IgM (3B4) to apoptotic cells and its effects on phagocytosis of apoptotic cells. (2) To characterize the molecular structure of 3B4. METHODS: 3B4 binding to apoptotic thymocytes was examined by flow cytometry. Polyreactivity of 3B4 was assayed by ELISA. PKH26-labeled Macrophages were incubated with PKH67-stained apoptotic cells in the presence of 3B4. Macrophages phagocytosis of apoptotic cell was evaluated by flow cytometry. The DNA segments of 3B V(H) and V(K) were sequenced and analyzed. RESULTS: 3B4 IgM recognized late apoptotic cells. Polyreactive-recognitions of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) as well as some autoantigens were observed in 3B4. Phagocytosis of late apoptotic cells was increased in the presence of 3B4. The V(H) and V(K) genes of 3B4 showed a germline gene context, while N-sequences and nucleotide loss were observed in CDR3. CONCLUSION: 3B4 promotes macrophage phagocytosis of late apoptotic cells in a complement-independent process. 3B4 has a germline configuration and is possibly ligand-selected. Out experiments suggest an independent role of natural IgM as opsonin in clearance of late apoptotic cells.

A case of impetigo herpetiformis associated with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

We herein reported a 26-year-old primigravida with impetigo herpetiformis and intrahepatic cholestasis of gestation. She was in gestation for 34 weeks. She had a 5-month history of pustules on the trunk and limbs that had exacerbated from 1 month before. The jaundice had also emerged lately with increased levels of serous transaminase, bilirubin and bile acid. The histopathology of the lesion confirmed the diagnosis of impetigo herpetiformis. After cesarean section and administration of glucocorticoid, the patient totally recovered.

Clinicopathological and ultrastructural study of multiple lobular capillary hemangioma after scalding.

We herein report 2 cases of multiple lobular capillary hemangiomas after scalding. The patients exhibited papules and nodules on the scalded areas after healing. Histopathological examination of the lesions showed capillary proliferation in the upper dermis with edematous stroma containing inflammatory infiltrates predominantly composed of neutrophils. Biopsy tissue and secretion specimens from lesions of case 1 were cultured for bacteria, and both grew Enterobacter cloacae. Ultrastructural examination revealed features typical of a lobular capillary hemangioma and viral inclusion bodies in the epidermis of case 1. Multiple lobular capillary hemangiomas after scalding are rarely reported. Trauma may play an important role in the development of this rare condition. Accumulation of similar cases and its precise observation is needed to confirm the associations and to establish an etiological link between the disease and the pathogens.

Increased expression of 70 kD heat shock protein in cultured primary human keratinocytes induced by human papillomavirus 16 E6/E7 gene.

BACKGROUND: Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is expressed highly in epithelial tumours associated closely with human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) infections. However, evidence about the direct relationship between HSP70 expression and HPVs infections are still lacking. In the present study, we examined the expression of HSP70 in keratinocytes introduced with HPV16 E6/E7 oncogenes. METHODS: Stable transfected cells were established by transfection of the plasmids pLXSN16E6/E7 into cultured primary keratinocytes and subsequently selected by plasmid specific selection antibiotic (G418) at the required concentration. The expression of HSP70 in pLXSN16E6/E7 transfected keratinocytes was determined by Western blot. The correlation of HSP70 expression and E6/E7 transfection was further confirmed by doubly labelled immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS: Compared to non-transfected keratinocytes, there was a significant trend for higher levels of HSP70 in pLXSN16E6/E7 transfected keratinocytes. Doubly labelled immunofluorescent staining experiment showed that the co-localization of HPV16 E6/E7 and HSP70 in transfected keratinocytes was observed and increased expression of HSP70 was strongly associated with the transfection of HPV16 E6/E7. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies demonstrated increased levels of HSP70 proteins in keratinocytes stably transfected by HPV16 E6/E7 oncogenes. It suggests that the expression of HSP70 is modulated by HPV16 E6/E7 proteins, which may be involved in HPV16 E6/E7 induced immortalization.