Growth hormone-releasing peptide 6 prevents cutaneous hypertrophic scarring: early mechanistic data from a proteome study.

Hypertrophic scars (HTS) and keloids are forms of aberrant cutaneous healing with excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Current therapies still fall short and cause undesired effects. We aimed to thoroughly evaluate the ability of growth hormone releasing peptide 6 (GHRP6) to both prevent and reverse cutaneous fibrosis and to acquire the earliest proteome data supporting GHRP6's acute impact on aesthetic wound healing. Two independent sets of experiments addressing prevention and reversion effects were conducted on the classic HTS model in rabbits. In the prevention approach, the wounds were assigned to topically receive GHRP6, triamcinolone acetonide (TA), or vehicle (1% sodium carboxy methylcellulose [CMC]) from day 1 to day 30 post-wounding. The reversion scheme was based on the infiltration of either GHRP6 or sterile saline in mature HTS for 4 consecutive weeks. The incidence and appearance of HTS were systematically monitored. The sub-epidermal fibrotic core area of HTS was ultrasonographically determined, and the scar elevation index was calculated on haematoxylin/eosin-stained, microscopic digitised images. Tissue samples were collected for proteomics after 1 hour of HTS induction and treatment with either GHRP6 or vehicle. GHRP6 prevented the onset of HTS without the untoward reactions induced by the first-line treatment triamcinolone acetonide (TA); however, it failed to significantly reverse mature HTS. The preliminary proteomic study suggests that the anti-fibrotic preventing effect exerted by GHRP6 depends on different pathways involved in lipid metabolism, cytoskeleton arrangements, epidermal cells' differentiation, and ECM dynamics. These results enlighten the potential success of GHRP6 as one of the incoming alternatives for HTS prevention.

Long-term therapy with itolizumab is safe and effective for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis: Results from an expanded-access program.

Itolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets the CD6-ALCAM pathway. This article reports on the safety and efficacy of itolizumab in the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in a clinical study conducted in Cuba in the setting of an expanded-access program (EAP). The study included 84 patients who had previously received conventional anti-psoriatic systemic therapies but were either intolerant, had an inadequate response, or had contraindications to these therapies. It consisted of multiple phases, including a 12-week induction phase, a 40-week maintenance phase, and a 24-week off-treatment follow-up phase, using either a 0.4 or 1.6 mg/Kg dose. The results showed that itolizumab monotherapy was safe and effective during 52 weeks of continuous treatment and the subsequent 24 follow-up weeks. Itolizumab treatment resulted in a significant improvement (PASI 75) in 80 % of patients at the end of the induction phase, and this effect was sustained till week 52 during the maintenance phase. Moreover, 24 weeks after treatment stopped nearly two-thirds of patients still showed a PASI ≥ 75. The observed effects were dose-dependent, with 1.6 mg/kg being the most convenient dose. This study further supports the strategy of targeting the CD6-ALCAM signaling pathway for the treatment of psoriasis and the use of itolizumab as a valuable asset in the armamentarium of anti-psoriasis drugs.

Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Epidermal Growth Factor: Revisiting the Local Delivery Route for a Successful Outcome.

Soon after epidermal growth factor (EGF) discovery, some in vivo models appeared demonstrating its property to enhance cutaneous wound healing. EGF was the first growth factor (GF) introduced in the clinical arena as a healing enhancer, exerting its mitogenic effects on epithelial, fibroblastoid, and endothelial cells via a tyrosine kinase membrane receptor. Compelling evidences from the 90s documented that, for EGF, locally prolonged bioavailability and hourly interaction with the receptor were necessary for a successful tissue response. Eventually, the enthusiasm on the clinical use of EGF to steer the healing process was wiped out as the topical route to deliver proteins started to be questioned. The simultaneous in vivo experiments, emphasizing the impact of the parenterally administered EGF on epithelial and nonepithelial organs in terms of mitogenesis and cytoprotection, rendered the theoretical fundamentals for the injectable use of EGF and shaped the hypothesis that locally infiltrating the diabetic ulcers would lead to an effective healing. Although the diabetic chronic wounds microenvironment is hostile for local GFs bioavailability, EGF local infiltration circumvented the limitations of its topical application, thus expanding its therapeutic prospect. Our clinical pharmacovigilance and basic studies attest the significance of the GF local infiltration for chronic wounds healing.

Eficacia y seguridad clínica del itolizumab en fase de inducción en pacientes con psoriasis grave / Efficacy and clinical safety of Itolizumab in the induction phase in patients with severe psoriasis

Introducción: La psoriasis, enfermedad inflamatoria sistémica de la piel, tiene consecuencias adversas serias para el bienestar físico, mental y social de las personas; sus tratamientos son costosos y con marcados efectos adversos. El itolizumab, anticuerpo monoclonal anti CD6 humanizado, actúa como inmunomodulador de las células T y desempeña un importante papel en su patogénesis. Objetivo: Evaluar la eficacia y la seguridad clínica del itolizumab en 80 pacientes con psoriasis vulgar grave. Métodos: Se realizó un programa de uso clínico expandido, promovido por el Centro de Inmunología Molecular. La respuesta clínica se midió por el índice de gravedad y área de afectación de psoriasis, y para la eficacia se conjugaron estos elementos con los de seguridad, mediante un análisis clínico complementario de los datos generados durante la fase de inducción. Se emplearon como medidas de resumen los números absolutos, el porciento, el promedio y estadísticas de asociación: las pruebas de correlación de de Pearson, de Friedman y la prueba de Lambda. Resultados: El análisis del área de afectación de psoriasis arrojó un rápido y sostenido descenso de sus valores; prevalecieron los eventos adversos relacionados con la administración del producto en investigación, de aparición inmediata, ligeros, muy probables y no serios. Conclusiones: El itolizumab es seguro y eficaz en el 96 por ciento de los pacientes psoriásicos graves durante los esquemas de inducción(AU)

Introduction: Psoriasis, systemic inflammatory skin disease, has serious adverse consequences for the physical, mental and social well-being of people; its treatments are expensive and with marked adverse effects. Itolizumab, a humanized anti-CD6 monoclonal antibody, acts as an immunomodulator of T cells and plays an important role in its pathogenesis. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and clinical safety of itolizumab in 80 patients with severe psoriasis vulgaris. Methods: An expanded clinical use program was carried out, promoted by the Molecular Immunology Center. The clinical response was measured by the severity index and area of psoriasis involvement and for effectiveness these elements were combined with safety, through a complementary clinical analysis of the data generated during the induction phase. Absolute numbers, percent and average and association statistics such as Pearson's correlation tests or Lambda's test were used as summary measures. Results: The area of psoriasis involvement analysis showed a rapid and sustained decrease in its values; adverse events related to the administration of the product under investigation prevailed, light onset, very probable and not serious. Conclusions: Itolizumab is safe and effective in 96 percent of severe psoriatic patients during the induction phase(AU)

Acroqueratosis verruciforme diagnosticada en un adulto / Acrokeratosis verruciformis diagnosed in an adult

Se presenta un paciente de 45 años de edad, oficial de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (FAR) que acude a Consulta Externa de Dermatología por presentar un cuadro dermatológico de 10 años de evolución sin ningún síntoma subjetivo al inicio de la enfermedad. Basado en su cuadro clínico se planteó la posibilidad de una enfermedad genética. Se confeccionó árbol genealógico y se le realizó biopsia de pie. Se corroboró el diagnóstico de una acroqueratosis verruciforme que fue tratada con criocirugía. Se hace énfasis en la importancia de la profundización del diagnóstico en los exámenes de control y salud a oficiales afectados de dermatosis