Successful application of ALA-PDT in rare cutaneous infection of Mycobacterium parascrofulaceum.

Skin infections caused by Mycobacterium parascrofulaceum (MP) are extremely rare in clinical practice. In view of its potential hazard of spreading to systemic infection, correct diagnosis and effective treatment are extremely important. Due to the highly similar appearance of lymphangitic sporotrichosis (LS) and swimming pool granuloma (SPG) caused by Mycobacterium marinum (MM), MP infection is easily misdiagnosed as the above two skin diseases. Here, we report successful application of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) in the treatment of a rare case of upper limb skin MP infection, providing reference for more safe and efficient disposal of such cases in clinic.

A novel chlorin e6 derivative-mediated photodynamic therapy STBF-PDT reverses photoaging via the TGF-ß pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Photoaging is characterized by wrinkles in the skin and the deterioration of the skin barrier function, mainly caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been shown to treat photoaging. The novel photosensitizer ShengTaiBuFen(STBF) is a derived substance of Chlorin e6(Ce6) that can exert photodynamic effects directly. In this study, we investigated the availability and the mechanism of STBF-PDT in the treatment of photoaging. METHODS: Fluorophotometer was used to determine therapeutic parameters for in vivo experiments. Camera photographs, dermoscopy, HE and Masson staining, skin pH, trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), epidermal water content, and sebum testing were used together to evaluate the results of the treatment. Dark toxicity and therapeutic parameters for in vitro experiments were determined by CCK8 analysis. Scratch assay was used to identify the cell migration of STBF-PDT on HaCaT cells. qPCR and Western blot were used to evaluate the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells. RESULTS: We investigated the optimal STBF concentration and time of incubation in vivo and in vitro experiments. STBF-PDT improved the skin phenotype of photoaged mice. The skin of photoaged mice treated with 80 J/cm2 STBF-PDT became smooth, while skin flakes were reduced. The epidermis of STBF-PDT-treated mice was thinner, and the cells were neatly arranged, with increased dermal collagen. In vitro, STBF-PDT promoted the migration of HaCaT cells below a light dose of 0.1 J/cm2. HDF cells co-cultured with HaCaT cells treated with low-dose STBF-PDT showed activation of the TGF-ß pathway. CONCLUSION: As a novel photosensitizer, STBF-mediated low-dose PDT could reverse photoaging via the TGF-ß pathway.