lncRNA JPX Promotes Tumor Progression by Interacting with and Destabilizing YTHDF2 in Cutaneous Melanoma.

Aberrant long noncoding RNAs just proximal to Xist (lncRNA JPX) expression levels have been detected in multiple tumors. However, whether JPX is involved in melanoma progression remains unclear. Our study showed that JPX expression is significantly increased in melanoma tissues and cell lines. To clarify the effect of JPX on cutaneous melanoma, we successfully generated JPX-overexpressing or JPX-knockdown A375 and A2058 cells. CCK-8, colony formation EdU, Transwell, and cell-cycle phase assays were performed, and subcutaneously implanted tumor models were used to determine the function of JPX in cutaneous melanoma. The results showed that JPX knockdown reduced the proliferation and migration of malignant melanoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. To further elucidate the molecular mechanism of JPX-induced cutaneous melanoma deterioration, we performed RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, coimmunoprecipitation, Western blot, and RNA-sequence analyses. JPX can directly interact with YTHDF2 and impede the protection of YTHDF2 from ubiquitin-specific protease 10 (USP10), which promotes its deubiquitination. Thus, JPX decreases protein stability and promotes the degradation of YTHDF2, thereby stabilizing BMP2 mRNA and activating AKT phosphorylation. Overall, our study revealed a novel effect of JPX on YTHDF2 ubiquitination, suggesting the possibility of blocking the JPX/USP10/YTHDF2/BMP2 axis as a prospective therapeutic approach for cutaneous melanoma. IMPLICATIONS: This study highlights the ubiquitination effect of USP10 and JPX on YTHDF2 in cutaneous melanoma, and proposes that the JPX/USP10/YTHDF2/BMP2 axis may be a prospective therapeutic target for cutaneous melanoma.

A successful treatment with ALA-PDT: A case-report on erythroplasia of Queyrat misdiagnosed as urethritis.

Queyrat erythroplasia is an intraepidermal squamous cell carcinoma localized on the glans penis or the inner side of the foreskin. It accounts for about 10% of all penile malignancies and up to 33% cases may lead to invasive squamous cell carcinoma and the intraurethral erythroplasia of Queyrat is relatively rare. Treatment of Queyrat erythroplasia present a challenge especially if the proximal urethra is involved. Here, we report a case of intractable Queyrat erythroplasia involving the urethral meatus. This case suggested that 5-aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy is effective and safe in the treatment of Queyrat erythroplasia, which provides a new choice for the patients with Queyrat erythroplasia with poor therapeutic effect.

Lichenoid dermatitis following PD-1 inhibitor-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis: a case report and literature review.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-PD-1 receptor antibodies have been shown to be effective in patients with advanced gastric cancer. However, there is a growing concern about immune-related adverse events. A case of a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma who developed toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) induced by sintilimab and subsequently developed lichenoid dermatitis is reported. TEN was diagnosed according to a history of sintilimab use, clinical symptoms and physical examination. During hospitalization, the patient developed recurrent fever caused by bacteremia and recovered from TEN after anti-infection and anti-inflammatory treatments. However, when TEN was controlled, the patient developed the lesional manifestations of lichenoid dermatitis. To date, no cases of lichenoid dermatitis after TEN have been reported following the use of PD-1 inhibitors.

PD-1 inhibitors are drugs that help fight stomach cancer but can sometimes cause skin problems. Most skin problems are minor and do not have a serious impact on the patient's health. However, life-threatening skin problems such as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) can sometimes happen. This case report describes a patient with stomach cancer who had lichenoid dermatitis (another skin problem) after TEN, following the treatment of his cancer with PD-1 inhibitors. To the best of our knowledge, it is very rare to experience both skin problems after treating cancer with PD-1 inhibitors. This rare phenomenon is reported to bring more attention to it. More research is needed to determine how to treat this problem better.

ALA-PDT combined with oral acitretin in the treatment of refractory condyloma acuminatum in anal canal.

BACKGROUND: Condyloma acuminatum (CA) of the anal canal is difficult to treat and subject to relapse.. We investigated the effects of aminolevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) combined with oral acitretin during therapy of refractory CA in the anal canal. We also conducted a clinical retrospective study for the treatment of intra-anal CA. METHODS: A total of 101 patients diagnosed with intra-anal CA were enrolled. All patients underwent liquid nitrogen cryotherapy as a basic treatment until visible wart clearance. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the treatment modality after cryotherapy. ALA-PDT group with 51 patients was given ALA-PDT treatment, and ALA-PDT plus acitretin group with 50 patients was given ALA-PDT treatment combined with oral acitretin. The cure rate, recurrence rate, and adverse reactions of the two groups were analyzed and recorded. RESULTS: The cure rate in the ALA-PDT plus acitretin group was 94% (47/50), which was significantly higher than 80.4% (41/51) in ALA-PDT group. The recurrence rate in the ALA-PDT plus acitretin group was 6% (3/50), which was lower than 19.6% (10/51) in ALA-PDT group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: ALA-PDT combined with oral acitretin is effective and safe in the treatment of refractory CA in anal canal, and with further study may become an option for these patients.

Photodynamic therapy combined with itraconazole against a case of cutaneous blastomycosis.

Cutaneous blastomycosis is endemic to North America and is often caused by dimorphic fungi with spores that are inhaled, inoculated spores, or hyphae that infect immunosuppressed and healthy people. It is sporadic and described as a universal imitator with morphological manifestations as erythema, nodules, and ulcers. Our case demonstrated a 69-year-old female bitten by her pet dog who was then diagnosed with cutaneous blastomycosis through social history and detailed laboratory examinations. She experienced a prolonged failure with antibacterial treatment, negative stool and tissue culture, and chronic inflammatory cell infiltrates on tissue pathology. High-throughput sequencing was performed and showed evidence of Blastomyces dermatitidis aetiology. Photodynamic therapy combined with oral itraconazole was administered, and the patient recovered in a short time. Our case presents inoculated cutaneous blastomycosis and a treatment approach in which photodynamic therapy combined with oral itraconazole significantly reduced the duration of disease treatment and affords a promising choice for the treatment of cutaneous blastomycosis.

Successful treatment with ALA-PDT of Refractory condyloma acuminatum of the whole anterior urethra.

Condyloma acuminatum is a sexually transmitted disease caused by human papillomavirus infection, which mostly occurs in the external genitalia, vulva, perianal, and the Intraurethral condyloma acuminatum is relatively rare. Treatment of urethral warts present a challenge especially if the proximal urethra is involved. Here, we report a case of intractable urethral condyloma acuminatum involving the urethral meatus and mid penile urethra with scar. This case suggested that local Photodynamic therapy in condyloma of the whole anterior urethra appears to be not only safe and effective, but also might be able to improve existing scars.

Evaluation of ALA-PDT combined with antibiotics for the treatment of skin ulcers with sinus tract formation: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is considered an important and innovative treatment for healing skin wounds. Skin ulcers with sinus tract formation are rare and difficult to treat in the field of dermatology. Herein, we utilized optical fibers as a light source to penetrate the sinus tract and applied PDT to treat the sinus tract. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) and provide insight into the use of ALA-PDT in the treatment of skin ulcers with sinus tracts. METHODS: Seven patients with skin ulcers with sinus tract formation who were previously unsuccessfully treated with systemic antibiotics, debridement and dressing changes were examined. In the present study, these patients also received ALA-PDT treatment (the ulcers were irradiated with a red LED, and the sinus tracts were irradiated with semiconductor laser optical fibers), which was locally administered every 10 days with a total of 1-5 sessions. RESULTS: Six patients enrolled in the study were fully cured after receiving combination therapy with ALA-PDT and antibiotics for three months. The sinus tract of one patient was cured and the ulcer area of this patient was reduced. All patients experienced varying degrees of redness and pain during treatment but no severe discomfort, and all patients were satisfied with the outcome of the treatment. CONCLUSION: Local ALA-PDT combined with antibiotics could be a safe and effective treatment approach for skin ulcers with sinus tract formation.

Photodynamic therapy combined with surgery for hidradenitis suppurativa: A case report.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a distressing painful chronic inflammatory skin follicular condition. It is a challenge to achieve better therapeutic effect and lower recurrence rate. In this report, ALA-PDT combined with surgery for the treatment achieved ulcer healing, pain elimination, with no relapse during our follow-up.

An unusual successful treatment with non-sulfonamides: primary cutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia brasiliensis.

INTRODUCTION: Primary cutaneous nocardiosis is a rare suppurative or granulomatous inflammation disease caused by Nocardia infection. Because of nonspecific clinical findings, it is always misdiagnosed as common pyogenic infection. Sulfonamides have been the standard treatment for nocardiosis, but the outcome is always poor due to the high rates of misdiagnosis and refractoriness of the disease. CASES PRESENTATIONS: The presented cases are patients of acute suppurative cutaneous infection without involvement of other organs. We report four cases, of which two cases were localized cutaneous nocardiosis and the other two were lymphocutaneous type of nocardiosis. All cases were diagnosed with pus culture which turned out to be Nocardia brasiliensis. We report an improvement of primary cutaneous nocardiosis symptoms in the four patients treated with non-sulfonamides. All patients were cured and recovered without recurrence during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that non-sulfonamides are effective treatment for the patients with primary cutaneous nocardiosis who are resistant or intolerant to sulfonamides.

Effects of ALA-PDT on biofilm structure, virulence factor secretion, and QS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

AIM: To investigate the effects of ALA-PDT on biofilm structure, virulence factor secretion, and quorum sensing (QS) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), an XTT assay, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), a virulence factor assay and qRT-PCR in this study. RESULTS: The XTT assay showed that ALA-PDT significantly inhibited the growth of planktonic P. aeruginosa. CLSM and SEM showed that ALA-PDT destroyed both bacterial and biofilm structures. The virulence factor assay showed that pyocyanin and elastase secretion were significantly inhibited in the ALA-PDT groups. qRT-PCR assays demonstrated that ALA-PDT significantly reduced the mRNA expression of QS-related genes. CONCLUSION: ALA-PDT kills planktonic and viable biofilm-associated P. aeruginosa cells, destroys biofilm structures, reduces virulence factor secretion and affects QS system gene expression.

Treatment of perianal condyloma acuminate with topical ALA-PDT combined with curettage: outcome and safety.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment outcome and safety of topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) with aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) combined with surgical curettage for perianal condyloma acuminata. BACKGROUND DATA: Condyloma acuminata is the most common sexually transmitted disease, with a high relapse rate, especially in the perianal area. The outcomes of many treatment methods for perianal genital warts are not satisfactory. METHODS: In this study, 40 cases of perianal condyloma acuminata were treated with topical aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) combined with curettage. First, the warts were removed with the patient under local anesthesia. The depth of the ablation and curettage reached the dermal layer. Then, the first session of PDT was performed after 2 days. Ten percent 5-ALA cream was applied to lesional skin with occlusive dressing for a 3-h incubation period and the lesions of warts were irradiated for 10 min by using a 635-nm laser beam of 177 mW/cm(2) intensity. The ALA-PDT was repeated after 1 and 3 weeks. Follow-up evaluation was performed at our outpatient clinic at 1 and 3 months after completion of therapy. Before treatment and at each follow-up visit, the lesions were photographed; the treatment outcome was evaluated as recurrence rate, and patient satisfaction was surveyed. RESULTS: After three PDT sessions following surgical curettage, all 40 patients were cured and there was no recurrence at 1 month off treatment. At 3 months off treatment, six cases relapsed, corresponding to a recurrent rate of 15%. The satisfaction rate of patients was 100% at 1 month and 95% at 3 months after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of surgical curettage and topical PDT has been proven to be a safe and effective procedure, and may offer a wide clinical application for the treatment of perianal condyloma acuminata.

Treatment of oral florid papillomatosis with systemic administration of photocarcinorin: an effective photodynamic therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the safety and effect of systemic administration of photosensitizer Photocarcinorin (PsD-007) in the treatment of oral florid papillomatosis (OFP). BACKGROUND: OFP is a rare and refractory disease characterized by multiple papillomatous lesions. The outcomes of many methods for OFP are not satisfactory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Photosensitizer Photocarcinorin (5 mg/kg) was intravenously injected into a 59-year-old woman with widespread OFP, and the lesions were irradiated for 10 min by using a 635-nm laser beam of 177 mW/cm(2) intensity and 106.2 J/cm(2) energy density. The therapy was performed once a month for 3 months in total. RESULTS: After three courses, the small lesions disappeared, and the larger ones were reduced by ≥80%. The adverse effects were minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Systemic PDT is an effective and successful treatment modality for OFP, especially in elderly patients.