Epithelioid hemangioma (ALHE) on the tongue of an infant treated with oral corticosteroids: A case report and review of the literature.

Epithelioid hemangioma or angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE) is a rare benign vascular lesion presenting as multiple nodules on the head and neck. Surgery had been considered to be the best treatment modality for ALHE. We report the case of a 6-month-old boy with ALHE on his tongue that was treated successfully with oral prednisolone.

Serologic Biomarkers in Pemphigus Monitoring: C-reactive Protein, Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor, and Prolactin Levels Versus Autoantibody Assays.

Evaluation and monitoring of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) typically involve autoantibody detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). We aimed to determine the levels of antipemphigus immunoglobulin (Ig) G autoantibodies using ELISA and IIF (as standard biomarkers), and compare it to prolactin, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (as nonstandard biomarkers) to determine which of these non-standard biomarkers is appropriate for PV monitoring. The experiment was performed before and during therapy. Anti-Dsg immunoglobulin G autoantibodies were measured using ELISA and IIF (as standard biomarkers) versus prolactin, MIF, and CRP (nonstandard), before 1 and 3 months after the treatment. Before beginning the treatment, the severity of the disease was determined using the pemphigus disease area Index (PDAI). We enrolled 60 newly diagnosed patients with PV (32 men and 28 women; mean age=43.8±14.2 years). Before treatment, the levels of anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, and IIF were high and had a significant relationship with PDAI. PDAI also had a connection with the levels of CRP and prolactin. The anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, IIF, and CRP titers decreased in patients treated with conventional (prednisolone plus azathioprine) and rituximab therapy during and after treatment. In conclusion, anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, and IIF autoantibody titers remain standard biomarkers for assessing disease activity, severity, and PV monitoring. The trend of CRP was similar to that of anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, and IIF. Thus, CRP may be used for PV monitoring.

The expression of miR-181b, CYLD, CBX-7, BCL2, and p53 in osteosarcoma patients and correlation with clinicopathological factors.

Osteosarcoma is a common human malignancy with a high mortality rate worldwide. Recent studies have been focused on understanding the involvement of microRNA (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. Therefore, the present study aimed to measure the expression levels of miR-181a, cylindromatosis (CYLD), chromo box homolog 7 (CBX7), B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), and tumor protein p53 in tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissues in patients with osteosarcoma and its relationship with clinicopathological factors. The expression levels of miR-181a, CYLD, CBX7, BCL2, and p53 were measured in 60 patients with osteosarcoma using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Finally, we compared the relationship between these gene levels and clinicopathological factors in tumor and healthy tissues. Our results showed that the expression levels of miR-181a, BCL2, and p53 were significantly higher in osteosarcoma tissue in comparison with normal tissues (p < .05). On the contrary, CYLD and CBX7 were downregulated in osteosarcoma tumor tissues compared to adjacent healthy tissues (p < .05). In addition, the expression levels of miR-181a in tumor tissues were strongly correlated with patients' age, tumor size, clinical stage, cancer grade, and lymph node metastasis (p < .05). Our findings highlight new insights into understanding the role of miR-181a in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. However, further studies are needed to elucidate miRNA as therapeutic targets for osteosarcoma.

Dermoscopy of nipple adenoma.

Characteristic finding of nipple adenoma (NA) in dermoscopy (red dots in linear, radial, or semicircular patterns) can help in accurate clinicopathologic diagnosis of NA vs other inflammatory, benign, and especially malignant nipple lesions.

A Rare Case of Tumoral Scleromyxedema.

Scleromyxedema is an uncommon disease, affecting the skin mainly and other internal organs sometimes, characterized by fibroblasts proliferation, fibrosis, and mucous deposition in the absence of thyroid disorder. It is associated with monoclonal gammopathy in most cases. We are reporting a case with a rare presentation of tumoral scleromyxedema in the neck, with a mass mimicking other tumoral lesions, highlighting the importance of diagnosis and histopathologic correlation.

miR-192 enhances sensitivity of methotrexate drug to MG-63 osteosarcoma cancer cells.

Chemo-resistance remains a considerable obstacle encountered in osteosarcoma (OS) therapy. Evidence has implied that a reduction in the expression of microRNAs (miRs/miRNAs) leads to exacerbated chemo-resistance. Hence, to better understand the role of miR-192 in the pathogenesis of OS during methotrexate (MTX) treatment, we restore miR-192 in the MG-63 cells and investigate the mechanisms, which are associated with MTX-resistance in OS. Exogenetic overexpression of miR-192 was established by transfecting miR-192 mimics into MG-63 cells using Lipofectamine. Trypan blue dye exclusion test was performed to evaluate the proliferation of the MG-63 cells. Chemo-resistance to MTX was determined using the MTT method after 48 h. ELISA cell death assay was performed to evaluate the apoptosis rate. The quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) was applied to determine the mRNA expression levels before and after the transfection. Our results illustrated that miR-192 is down-regulated in OS tumor cells. Transfection of miR-192 noticeably alleviated the mRNA expression levels of MMP9, c-Myc, K-Ras, CXCR-4, and ADAMTS compared with the control groups (P-values< 0.05). MTX Combination treatment with miR-192 noticeably elevated the cytotoxic effect of MTX and alleviated its IC50 (P < 0.05). Moreover, miR-192 significantly increased the apoptotic effect of MTX. These results implied that miR-192 enhances the sensitivity of MG-63 cells to MTX. Collectively, our results elucidated that miR-192 contributes to chemo-sensitizing MG-63 cells to MTX, and could be considered as a promising agent to overcome MTX-resistance in OS.

An unusual case of multibacillary leprosy mimicking prurigo nodularis.

Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with a wide range of clinical manifestations. The early diagnosis of leprosy is a worldwide challenge. We present a case of leprosy with unusual severe pruritus and generalized excoriated papules and nodules.

Fatal cutaneous mucormycosis after kidney transplant.

Mucormycosis is an uncommon opportunistic infection that is caused by Mucorales from the Zygomycetes class. Patients with severe immunodeficiency admitted to the hospital are at greatest risk for developing this infection. Mucormycosis usually is transmitted in humans by inhalation or inoculation of spores in the skin or mucous membranes. A 66-year-old man developed a surgical wound infection at 1 week after kidney transplant that did not improve despite broad-spectrum antibiotics and debridement. He was transferred to our hospital 45 days after transplant and had fever and a large purulent wound that was surrounded by a black necrotizing margin. Immunosuppressive drugs were discontinued and the dosage of prednisolone was decreased. Massive debridement was performed but was incomplete because he had full-thickness abdominal wall necrosis. Histopathology showed broad fungal hyphae without septation, consistent with the diagnosis of mucormycosis. Despite antifungal therapy with amphotericin B and additional debridement, the patient died of septic shock at 52 days after kidney transplant. Cutaneous fungal infections should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any nonhealing infected wound that does not respond to broad-spectrum antibiotics, especially in patients with predisposing risk factors such as transplant.