Beclin1 in psoriasis: an immunohistochemical study.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal autophagy is known to be associated with the pathogenesis of some skin disorders. The protein Beclin1 plays a central role in the machinery of autophagy. AIM: To assess the expression of Beclin1 in psoriasis, using immunohistochemical study in lesional and perilesional skin in patients with psoriasis, and to compare the results with those of an apparently healthy control (HC) group. METHODS: This case-control study enrolled a total of 40 participants: 20 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and 20 age- and sex-matched, apparently HCs. Skin biopsies were taken from (i) lesional and (ii) perilesional skin of patients with psoriasis and from (iii) normal skin of HCs for immunohistochemical evaluation of Beclin1 expression. RESULTS: Epidermal Beclin1 expression was positive in all three studied groups. There was a significant difference between the three studied groups regarding Beclin1 epidermal topographic distribution, epidermal staining intensity, H score and H-score category (P < 0.01 for all). Significant differences were found between the three studied groups regarding Beclin1 H score and H-score category for skin adnexal structures (P < 0.01 for both). For dermal inflammatory infiltrate, significant differences were found between lesional and perilesional skin regarding Beclin1 expression status, staining intensity, H score and H-score category (P < 0.01, P = 0.01, P < 0.01 and P < 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSION: The increased expression of Beclin1 in psoriatic skin, both lesional and perilesional, reflects increased autophagy, which could be a consequence of the rapid keratinocyte proliferation in psoriasis, which would also ramp up all the cellular processes including autophagy. The cellular localization of Beclin1 was nucleocytoplasmic in psoriasis skin but cytoplasmic only in normal HC skin, which needs further study to allow its interpretation.

Assessment of telomerase activity in nonsegmental vitiligo tissue: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is characterized by loss of melanocytes; therefore, an increased risk of photoageing and cancer are expected. However, a low incidence of cancer and sun damage in vitiliginous skin has been reported. Telomerase is a specialized cellular enzyme catalysing the synthesis of telomeres, and an increased level of the telomerase activity has been highlighted in most of human cancer cells and cancer cell lines. AIM: To assess relative telomerase activity (RTA) among patients with nonsegmental vitiligo. METHODS: In this case-control study, skin biopsy specimens were taken from 20 patients (one from lesional and another from nonlesional skin) and from sun-protected skin from 10 healthy age-, sex- and skin phototype-matched healthy controls. PCR ELISA was performed for assessment of RTA. RESULTS: RTA in lesional skin biopsies from patients with nonsegmental vitiligo was significantly decreased compared with nonlesional skin and healthy control skin samples, with no significant difference between the latter two. RTA in lesional skin was negatively correlated with Vitiligo Area Scoring Index but not correlated with Vitiligo Disease Activity score or RTA of nonlesional skin. Neither lesional nor nonlesional RTA levels showed any correlation with patient sex, age, skin phototype or with disease duration. CONCLUSION: Low levels of RTA in vitiliginous skin may help to explain the lower chance of developing skin cancer and decreased incidence of actinic damage in vitiliginous skin.

Mesotherapy using dutasteride-containing preparation in treatment of female pattern hair loss: photographic, morphometric and ultrustructural evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is frustrating for both patients and doctors. Mesotherapy is a novel treatment for hair fall and its efficacy in FPHL has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of mesotherapy using dutasteride-containing preparation in treatment of FPHL. METHODS: This study included 126 female patients with FPHL. They were classified into two groups; group I (86 patients) injected with dutasteride-containing preparation and group II (40 control patients) injected with saline. Patients received 12 sessions and were evaluated at the 18th week by: photographic assessment, hair pull test, hair diameter and patient self-assessment. Ultrastructural evaluation was done for three patients. RESULTS: After mesotherapy with dutasteride-containing preparation, photographic improvement occurred in 62.8% of patients compared with 17.5% in control group (P < 0.05), mean number of epilated hairs was significantly decreased (P < 0.05), mean hair diameter was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Patient self-assessment showed statistically significant improvement compared with the controls (P < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between degree of improvement and duration of FPHL (P < 0.05). Side effects were minimal with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Ultrastructural examination of pretreated hairs revealed absent cuticle in one patient and focal destruction of the cuticle in the second patient, which reappeared in both after therapy. CONCLUSION: We concluded that mesotherapy with dutasteride-containing preparation was effective, tolerable and minimally invasive treatment modality in FPHL with better response for shorter duration of the disease.