Successful management of chromoblastomycosis utilizing conventional antifungal agents and imiquimod therapy.

Chromoblastomycosis (CBM), a chronic fungal infection affecting the skin and subcutaneous tissues, is predominantly caused by dematiaceous fungi in tropical and subtropical areas. Characteristically, CBM presents as plaques and nodules, often leading to scarring post-healing. Besides traditional diagnostic methods such as fungal microscopy, culture, and histopathology, dermatoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy can aid in diagnosis. The treatment of CBM is an extended and protracted process. Imiquimod, acting as an immune response modifier, boosts the host's immune response against CBM, and controls scar hyperplasia, thereby reducing the treatment duration. We present a case of CBM in Guangdong with characteristic reflectance confocal microscopy manifestations, effectively managed through a combination of itraconazole, terbinafine, and imiquimod, shedding light on novel strategies for managing this challenging condition.

PTPN2 inhibits the proliferation of psoriatic keratinocytes by dephosphorylation of STAT3.

Psoriasis is a recurrent and protracted disease that severely impacts the patient's physical and mental health. Thus, there is an urgent need to explore its pathogenesis to identify therapeutic targets. The expression level of protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor type 2 (PTPN2) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry techniques in psoriatic tissues and imiquimod-induced psoriatic mouse models. PTPN2 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were overexpressed or silenced in human keratinocytes or an interleukin (IL)-6-induced psoriasis HaCaT cell model using overexpression plasmid transfection or small interfering RNA technology in vitro, and the effects of PTPN2 on STAT3, HaCaT cell function, and autophagy levels were investigated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, Cell Counting Kit 8, 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy. PTPN2 expression was found to be significantly downregulated in psoriatic tissues. Then, the in vitro antipsoriatic properties of PTPN2 were investigated in an IL-6-induced psoriasis-like cell model, and the results demonstrated that inhibition of keratinocyte proliferation by PTPN2 may be associated with elevated STAT3 dephosphorylation and autophagy levels. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of autophagy in psoriatic keratinocytes and may be essential for developing new therapeutic strategies to improve inflammatory homeostasis in psoriatic patients.

Identification of potential biomarkers and infiltrating immune cells from scalp psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Scalp psoriasis seriously affects the appearance and psychological status of patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and potential mechanism of RPL9 and TIFA in scalp psoriasis, so as to provide a precise and effective way for the clinical treatment of scalp psoriasis. METHODS: The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was employed to download the GSE75343 dataset to search for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in scalp psoriasis through Sangerbox. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and gene set variation analysis (GSVA) enrichment analysis, functional enrichment analysis, immune cell infiltration analysis, immune responses and correlation analysis with 12 hub genes were performed. Then, STRING was used to develop a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, used Cytoscape to locate hub genes, and SVM-RFE and random forest were utilized to identified RPL9 as the targeted gene. TIFA-RPL9 interaction predictions were made viathe Open Targets Platform and Uniprot. Further, the RPL9 and TIFA expression, molecular mechanism, and function were assessed in scalp psoriasis. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry, qPCR, and western blotting verified that RPL9 and TIFA were highly expressed in lesional tissues of scalp psoriasis and IL17A-stimulated HaCaT cells. RPL9 knockdown effectively suppressed the proliferative capacity of IL17A-stimulated HaCaT cells in the CCK8 assay. The co-immunoprecipitation results revealed that RPL9 could interact with TIFA in IL17A-stimulated HaCaT cells. In qPCR and western blotting, RPL9 knockdown significantly inhibited TIFA at the mRNA and protein levels in IL17A-stimulated HaCaT cells. In ELISA, the secretion of TNF-α was markedly inhibited after downregulating RPL9 in IL17A-stimulated HaCaT cells. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, we have elucidated the expression and role of RPL9 and TIFA in scalp psoriatic skin and keratinocytes, and our findings confirm that RPL9 might act as a candidate therapeutic target for scalp psoriasis.

The SELP, CD93, IL2RG, and VAV1 Genes Associated with Atherosclerosis May Be Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Psoriasis.

Purpose: Psoriasis and atherosclerosis are immunometabolic diseases. This study aimed to integrate bioinformatics and updated public resources to find potential biological markers associated with atherosclerosis that can cause psoriasis. Patients and Methods: Microarray datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened, and functional enrichment analysis was performed. We identified psoriasis and atherosclerosis common immune-related genes (PA-IRGs) by overlapping immune-related genes (IRGs) with genes in the module most associated with psoriasis and atherosclerosis obtained by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNAs). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was conducted to evaluate the predictive ability. The skin expression levels of diagnostic biomarkers were further verified by immunohistochemical staining. CIBERSORT, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), and Pearson's correlation analysis were applied to evaluate immune and lipid metabolism relationships in psoriatic tissues. In addition, a lincRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed to find the pathogenesis in which diagnostic markers may be involved. Results: Four PA-IRGs (SELP, CD93, IL2RG, and VAV1) demonstrated the optimal diagnostic value, with an AUC above 0.8. The immune cell infiltration analysis showed that dendritic resting cells, NK cell activation, neutrophils, macrophages M2, macrophages M0, and B-cell memory were highly abundant in psoriasis. Immune response analysis showed that TNF family members, chemokine receptors, interferons, natural killer cells, and TGF-ß family members might be involved in psoriasis. Diagnostic biomarkers are strongly associated with various infiltrating immune cells, immune responses, and lipid metabolism. A lincRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network consisting of 31 lincRNAs and 23 miRNAs was constructed. LINC00662 is involved in modulating four diagnostic biomarkers. Conclusion: This study identified atherosclerosis-related genes SELP, CD93, VAV1, and IL2RG as potential psoriasis diagnostic markers. Provide novel insights into the possible regulatory mechanisms involved in psoriasis.

MicroRNA-17-3p is upregulated in psoriasis and regulates keratinocyte hyperproliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion by targeting CTR9.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Although miRNAs are reported to be associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the contribution of individual microRNAs toward psoriasis remains unclear. The miR-17-92 cluster regulates cell growth and immune functions that are associated with psoriasis. miR-17-3p is a member of miR-17-92 cluster; however, its role in dermatological diseases remains unclear. Our study aims at investigating the effects of miR-17-3p and its potential target gene on keratinocytes proliferation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine and their involvement in psoriasis. Initially, we found that miR-17-3p was upregulated in psoriatic skin lesions, and bioinformatic analyses suggested that CTR9 is likely to be a target gene of miR-17-3p. Quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR and immunohistochemical analysis revealed that CTR9 expression was downregulated in psoriatic lesions. Using dual-luciferase reporter assays, we identified CTR9 as a direct target of miR-17-3p. Further functional experiments demonstrated that miR-17-3p promoted the proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion of keratinocytes, whereas CTR9 exerted the opposite effects. Gain-of-function studies confirmed that CTR9 suppression partially accounted for the effects of miR-17-3p in keratinocytes. Furthermore, Western blot revealed that miR-17-3p activates the downstream STAT3 signaling pathway while CTR9 inactivates the STAT3 signaling pathway. Together, these findings indicate that miR-17-3p regulates keratinocyte proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion partially by targeting the CTR9, which inactivates the downstream STAT3 protein, implying that miR-17-3p might be a novel therapeutic target for psoriasis.

ZNF384: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Psoriasis and Alzheimer's Disease Through Inflammation and Metabolism.

Background: Psoriasis is an immune-related skin disease notable for its chronic inflammation of the entire system. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is more prevalent in psoriasis than in the general population. Immune-mediated pathophysiologic processes may link these two diseases, but the mechanism is still unclear. This article aimed to explore potential molecular mechanisms in psoriasis and AD. Methods: Gene expression profiling data of psoriasis and AD were acquired in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA) were first applied in two datasets. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of two diseases were identified, and common DEGs were selected. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed to explore common biological pathways. Signature transcription factors (STFs) were identified and their diagnostic values was calculated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis in the exploration cohort and verified in the validation cohort. The expression levels of STFs were further investigated in the validation cohort and the GTEx Portal Database. Additionally, four kinds of interaction analysis were performed: correlation analysis among STFs, gene-gene, chemical-protein, and protein-ligand interaction analyses. In the end, we predicted the transcription factor that potentially regulates STFs. Results: Biosynthesis and metabolic pathways were enriched in GSEA analysis. In ssGSEA analysis, most immunoreaction gene lists exhibited differential enrichment in psoriasis cases, whereas three receptor-related gene lists did in AD. The KEGG analysis of common DEGs redetermined inflammatory and metabolic pathways essential in both diseases. 5 STFs (PPARG, ZFPM2, ZNF415, HLX, and ANHX) were screened from common DEGs. The ROC analysis indicated that all STFs have diagnostic values in two diseases, especially ZFPM2. The correlation analysis, gene-gene, chemical-protein, and protein-ligand interaction analyses suggested that STFs interplay and involve inflammation and aberrant metabolism. Eventually, ZNF384 was the predicted transcription factor regulating PPARG, ZNF415, HLX, and ANHX. Conclusions: The STFs (PPARG, ZFPM2, ZNF415, HLX, and ANHX) may increase the morbidity rate of AD in psoriasis by initiating a positive feedback loop of excessive inflammation and metabolic disorders. ZNF384 is a potential therapeutic target for psoriasis and AD by regulating PPARG, ZNF415, HLX, and ANHX.

ERBB1/2/3 Expression, Prognosis, and Immune Infiltration in Cutaneous Melanoma.

BACKGROUND: The four ERBB tyrosine kinase family members [ERBB1 (epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFR), ERBB2 (HER2), ERBB3 (HER3), and ERBB4 (HER4)] (ERBB receptor family) have been shown, according to previous studies, to be related to the cutaneous melanoma. ERBB3 is the only member of the ERBBs that lacks tyrosine kinase activity and thus needs to dimer with other tyrosine kinases receptors to trigger the signaling pathway, while ERBB3 may dimer with all members of the ERBB family. Melanoma progression depends on activation of ERBB signaling, especially the ERBB3/ERBB2 cascade. There are lymphocytes and T cell infiltrates in melanoma. Numerous pieces of evidences indicate that local immune status plays an important role in the formation of anti-tumor immune responses. However, the relationship between the ERBBs and prognosis and immune infiltration in cutaneous melanoma is not completely clear. METHODS: The expression of the ERBBs was analyzed through the Oncomine database, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA), respectively. Immunohistochemistry of ERBBs was obtained from the Human Protein Atlas is increased before HPA database. ERBBs genes expression and mutation analysis in cutaneous melanoma from the cBioPortal. Functional annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes is increased before KEGG pathway enrichment analysis from the Metascape. Correlations between ERBBs and 31 genes that were close to each other and frequently altered were explored by GEPIA. Using the GEPIA database, we also investigated the relationship between ERBBs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in cutaneous melanoma. The disease-free survival and different tumor stages of ERBBs were evaluated by GEPIA. The correlation of ERBBs and tumor-infiltrating immune cells and prognostic(5 years survival rates) was tested by the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). RESULTS: In general, the expression levels of ERBB1/2 in cutaneous melanoma were lower than those in normal skin tissue. By contrast, the ERBB3 expression level was higher in cutaneous melanoma than in normal skin tissue. Low expression of ERBB1/2 and high expression of ERBB3 were detrimental to the 5 years survival of cutaneous melanoma patients (ERBB1: log-rank P: 0.03; ERBB2: log-rank P: 0.008; ERBB3: log-rank P: 0.039). ERBB4 expression may not affect the prognosis of patients with cutaneous melanoma. ERBBs may not play a role in the tumor stage and disease-free survival in cutaneous melanoma patients. The relationship between the ERBB family and 31 genes that were close to each other and frequently altered is demonstrated as the genes regulated by the ERBB family being mainly concentrated in the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. ERBB2 can induce infiltration of CD8+ T cells and B cells, while ERBB3 can induce infiltration of CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and Neutrophil cells. ERBBs are more significantly associated with M1 macrophages, dendritic cells, Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cellular immune markers (Cor > 0.2). ERBB2/3 were related to MDSC in cutaneous melanoma, including human mononuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSC) and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSC), and may influence the progression of cutaneous melanoma through MDSC, but the conclusion needs further probing. CONCLUSION: This study investigated the prognosis and immune infiltration of the ERBB family in cutaneous melanoma. Our results suggest that ERBB1/2/3 may serve as early prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets in cutaneous melanoma.