Effect of various types of photodynamic therapy on inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions in patients with acne: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have demonstrated that photodynamic therapy (PDT) is safe and effective in treating acne vulgaris. The present study aimed to evaluate various PDTs on inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions in patients with acne by a network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: The researchers of this paper searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases from inception to March 2022 to identify suitable RCTs. The included studies were evaluated for methodological quality using the Cochrane bias risk assessment tool. Twenty-one RCTs were included, with a total sample size of 898 participants. RESULTS: Network meta-analysis (NMA) revealed that indocyanine green (ICG) + near-infrared (NIR) diode laser, ICG+830 nm light-emitting diode (LED), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) + 520 nm LED, and 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) + sunlight demonstrated obvious curative effects in patients with acne vulgaris. Importantly, ICG+NIR diode laser provided the greatest improvement in both inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesions (surface under the cumulative ranking curve [SUCRA]: 84.4% and 93.5%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the NWM and SUCRA ranking, ICG + NIR diode laser can be considered more effective in treating acne than the other PDTs of the RCTs. However, this conclusion should be interpreted with caution due to the limitations of the present study.

Prevalence, involved domains, and predictor of cognitive dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive Dysfunction (CD) can occur in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) before the occurrence of Neuropsychiatric Lupus Erythematosus (NPSLE). Given the reversibility and fluctuation of SLE-related CD, the research for possible predictors is of great significance for early detection and intervention. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the prevalence, involved domains, and possible predictors of CD in SLE patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study at Nanfang Hospital from 2018 to 2019. A total of 78 SLE patients were recruited. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale was used to screen cognitive function. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics were collected. The serum anti-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) antibody and S100ß were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Multivariate logistic regression analysis and ROC curve were used to assess the predictor of SLE-related CD. RESULTS: Of 78 recruited patients,53 (67.9%) had CD. It mainly involved delayed recall, abstract generalization, verbal repetition, and fluency. The disease activity index (SLEDAI) was not associated with SLE-related CD (p > 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that an increase in each year of education there was a decrease in the likelihood of CD (OR 0.261, CI 0.080-0.857, p = 0.027) whereas with each unit increase in serum anti-NMDAR antibody there was an increased likelihood of SLE-related CD (OR 1.568, CI 1.073-2.292, p = 0.020). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of SLE-related CD was 67.9% in our study and SLE-related CD was not associated with disease activity. Serum anti-NMDAR antibody can be used as a predictor for SLE-related CD.

Adult Onset Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Limited to the Skin.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a proliferative disease commonly seen in the pediatric population but rarely encountered in the adult population. The exact etiology remains unclear. It has various clinical features and is very likely to be misdiagnosed. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry are very important for the diagnosis of LCH. Treatment protocols remain controversial. Herein, we report a rare adult onset LCH, which is confined to the skin. A 50-year-old Chinese man presented with a nodule with itchy rashes on the left lower leg, which gradually grew in size for the last 6 months. He also had multiple scattered rashes on the right lower leg. The skin biopsy demonstrated Langerhans cells infiltrating the superficial dermis, and the tumor cells were positive for CD1a and S-100 expression. The diagnosis was LCH based on the histopathological and immunohistochemistry results.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonist-mediated inhibition of cell growth is independent of apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells.

Evidence suggests that peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) acts as a tumor suppressor in multiple types of cancer; however, the role of action of PPAR-γ on human epidermoid carcinoma is unclear. The present study investigated the effects of a PPAR-γ agonist, rosiglitazone, on human epidermoid carcinoma cell growth using the A431 cell line. The effects of rosiglitazone on cell viability and proliferation were evaluated with MTS and [3H] thymidine incorporation assays. The effects of rosiglitazone on the cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, and western blotting. It was identified that rosiglitazone inhibited A431 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, increased the proportion of cells in the G1 phase, but did not affect apoptosis. Consistently, there was a significant decrease in the expression of cell proliferation-associated proteins, including cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)2 and Cdk4 in A431 cells treated with rosiglitazone. This decrease was rescued by a selective antagonist of PPAR-γ or specific PPAR-γ small interfering RNAs. However, the ratio of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) to Bcl-2 associated X protein, which is associated with cell apoptosis, was not affected by these treatments. The data of the present study suggest that the PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone inhibits human epidermoid carcinoma cell growth through regulating the expression of the cell cycle-associated proteins, and that this effect is independent of apoptosis.

[Influence of serum prolactin on interleukin-6 secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVE: To detect serum prolactin (PRL) level in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its correlations to SLE activity and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). METHODS: An electrochemiluminescence assay was employed to examine the serum content of PRL in 40 SLE patients and 20 healthy subjects, and the levels of IL-6 secretion by the PBMCs were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: SLE patients showed a significantly higher serum level of PRL than healthy subjects, which was especially obvious in the active stage of the disease (P=0.000. Serum PRL in SLE patients was found to positively correlate to SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) (r=0.568, P=0.000). SLE patients with hyperprolactinemia showed a significantly higher level of IL-6 secretion by the PBMCs than those with normal serum PRL level (P=0.000). IL-6 secretion by the PBMCs isolated from SLE patients with normal PRL level and from healthy controls, especially the latter, increased significantly after stimulation of the cells with recombinant human PRL in vitro (P=0.000). CONCLUSION: Serum PRL may play a role in the pathogenesis of SLE. An elevated PRL level is closely related to SLE activity and can be used to assess SLE activity. Increased serum PRL level can up-regulate the secretion of IL-6 by the PBMCs.

[Correlation between PTPN22 gene polymorphism and systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese Han patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between 1858C/T single nucleotide polymorphism on exon 14 of the protein tyrosine phosphatase nonreceptor-22 (PTPN22) gene and systemic lupus erythematosus in Chinese Han patients. METHODS: Forty Chinese Han patients with SLE and 20 normal control subjects were enrolled in the study, and PTPN22 gene 1858 C/T polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the CC, CT, and TT genotype frequencies or in the C and T allele frequencies between the SLE patients and the normal controls. CONCLUSION: 1858C/T on PTPN22 gene might not be associated with the susceptibility of SLE in Chinese Han population.

GC-MS, FT-IR analysis of black fungus polysaccharides and its inhibition against skin aging in mice.

The monosaccharide compositions, molecular weights, structure were investigated for the black fungus polysaccharides. Analysis of sugar components by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) showed that component ratios of neutral sugars in the polysaccharides were Glc:Man=82.97:12.93. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis showed that the band at about 1649cm(-1) can indicate the presence of CO groups or CC groups vibration in structures. Pharmacological experiment showed that black fungus polysaccharides administration could significantly reduce malondialchehyche (MDA), lipofuscin (LF) contents and enhance superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in skin. This indicated that black fungus polysaccharides may slow down skin aging.

[Expression of transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: The expression of T-bet and GATA-3 mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 60 patients with SLE and 20 normal control subjects were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the normal controls, T-bet mRNA expression decreased whereas GATA-3 mRNA expression increased significantly in patients with SLE, active SLE and inactive SLE. CONCLUSIONS: The high expression of GATA-3 promotes the immature T cells to differentiate into Th2 cells, induces Th2 cells to secrete the cytokines IL-6 and IL-10, which, along with the low expression of Th1 as a result of T-bet expression inhibition, causes B cell activation to produce a large quantity of autoantibodies, leading finally to multiple organ injuries. Effective regulation of GATA-3 expression may provide a new clue for the treatment of SLE.

[Effect of prolactin on CD40/CD154 expression on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of prolactin on CD40 and CD154 expressions on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and explore the role of prolactin in the pathogenesis of SLE. METHODS: The serum prolectin level was detected in 30 SLE patients and 20 healthy volunteers, from whom peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were also isolated to examine the expressions of CD40 and CD154 using flow cytometry. RESULTS: CD154 significantly increased on the PBMCs in SLE patients with high serum prolectin level in comparison with that in patients with normal prolactin level or the normal controls (P<0.05). When the PBMCs were incubated with recombinant human prolactin, CD154 expression was significantly increased in SLE patients with normal serum prolactin level (P<0.05), but not in the normal control group (P>0.05). Incubation of the PBMCs in the presence of bromocriptine did not result in significantly decreased CD154 expression in SLE patients irrespective of the prolactin level, nor was significant difference found in CD40 expression on the surface of PBMCs between SLE patients and the normal controls(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Prolactin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE by increasing CD154 expression on the PBMCs, and bromocriptine produces no significant inhibitory effect on either endogenous or exogenous prolectin.

Ligase chain reaction for Chlamydia trachomatis detection in urine specimens from symptomatic and asymptomatic men.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of ligase chain reaction (LCR) for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) in the urine of symptomatic and asymptomatic men. METHODS: C. trachomatis was detected by LCR in both first-void urine (FVU) and urethral swab cultures from 852 randomly selected male outpatients seeking medical attention for sexually transmitted diseases. In cases with discrepancy between the results yielded by the two methods, a second LCR directed against a gene fragment encoding the major outer membrane protein was performed. The results were evaluated on the basis of an expanded gold standard. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity was 98.6% and 99.4% with LCR, respectively, and was 77.4% and 99.5% with urethral swab culture. The sensitivity of LCR was much higher than that of urethral swab culture P<0.001 . The presence or absence of urethral symptoms did not show any influence on the results. CONCLUSION: LCR is sensitive and specific for detecting C. trachomatis infections, and FVU can be used for non-invading diagnosis and screening of the infection in men.

[Transplantation of purified CD34+ stem cells from autologous peripheral blood for treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus].

We used the transplantation of purified autologous peripheral blood CD34+ stem cells to treat a 16-year-old female patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), who had received unsuccessful treatment with steroids and immunosuppressants, and has achieved satisfactory therapeutic effect. The diagnosis of SLE was established one year ago, and the patient had SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) of 21 on admission. After ineffective treatment with dexamethasone and cyclophosphamid (CTX) for 3 months, purified autologous peripheral blood CD34+ stem cell transplantation was adopted. Autologous peripheral hematopoietic stem cells were mobilized by intravenous injection of 2.0 g/d cyclophosphamid (CTX) for 3 d and subcutaneous injection of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, 300 microgram/d). A CS-3000 plus blood cell separator was used to collect peripheral blood stem cells, and cell count of mononuclear cells and CD34+ stem cells and epitope analysis of T and B lymphocytes were performed by FACscan flow cytometry. After purification with CliniMACS, the number of CD34+ stem cells reached 15.13x106/kg, while that of CD3+ cells were only 1.35x105/kg. Pretreatment of the patient consisted of intravenous injection of (50 mg/kg each day)for 4 consecutive days and antithymocyte globulin (ATG, 2.5 mg/kg each day) for 3 consecutive days with methylprednisolone (MP) at the dose of 1.0 g on the first day and 0.5 g on the following 2 days. The granulocytes were recovered by G-CSF stimulation. The purified CD34+ stem cells (60 ml) were reinfused within 24 h after pretreatment, following which changes in clinical manifestations and immunologic markers were compared with those before the transplantation. Clinical and immunologic remissions were achieved after transplantation, with all the autoantibodies reversed to the negative, suggesting the short-term effectiveness of this therapy. Based on this observation, we conclude that this therapy is possible to effect an eventual cure of SLE in this case, but the long-term effect needs to be further observed in the follow-up study.

Clinical analysis of 12 cases of pyoderma gangrenosum.

Twelve cases of pyoderma gangrenosum is reported in light of the clinical data including the patients' gender, age, complications, laboratory examinations, treatment and outcome, in an attempt to explore the pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis of the disease.