Granulomatous foreign-body reactions to permanent fillers: detection of CD123+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells.

BACKGROUND: Soft-tissue augmentation with permanent fillers can lead to severe granulomatous foreign-body reactions (GFBRs), but the immune pathomechanism of this complication is still unknown. We performed conventional histologic examination and immunostaining for plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in skin sections from patients with GFBR to 4 permanent filler agents, which have been widely used in recent decades. METHODS: Twenty-one skin biopsies were studied from 19 patients with GFBR to polyalkylimide 4% gel (PAIG, n = 10), polyacrylamide 2.5% gel (PAAG, n = 2), hydroxyethyl methacrylate/ethyl methacrylate in hyaluronic acid (HEMA/EMA, n = 4), or liquid injectable silicone (n = 5). GFBRs were analyzed in hematoxylin and eosin stained sections and pDCs detected using CD123 antibodies. Anti-CD11c immunostaining was performed for comparison. RESULTS: Grading of the inflammatory infiltrates observed histologically did not correlate with the clinical features of inflammation. Immunostaining for CD123 did not detect pDCs in 8 of 10 polyalkylimide gel, 1 of 2 polyacrylamide gel, and the 5 liquid injectable silicone biopsies. In contrast, all 4 HEMA/EMA biopsies contained collections of pDCs in lymphocytic infiltrates close to filler particles and adjacent sarcoidal granulomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that pDCs contribute to the sarcoidal granulomas associated with injected HEMA/EMA. Recruited pDCs may exert their pro-inflammatory effects by the release of interferon-α at the site of these filler deposits.

Syringocystadenocarcinoma papilliferum in a linear nevus verrucosus.

Syringocystadenocarcinoma papilliferum (SCACP), the malignant counterpart of syringocystadenoma papilliferum (SCAP), is a rare form of adenocarcinoma of the skin. Only 11 well-documented case reports of SCACP have been published so far. An 83-year-old woman with a linear nevus verrucosus (LNV) on her right arm had a history of a nodule arising within this nevus that was diagnosed as SCAP by skin biopsy 7 years earlier. Since then, the nodule had enlarged gradually and formed an exophytic tumor with a moist surface, measuring 3 × 2.5 cm. The tumor was excised and studied by histologic examination. Although histologically the overall architecture of the tumor still resembled SCAP, transition to SCACP was obvious by the presence of areas of cytonuclear atypia, increased proliferative activity and infiltrative growth. The edges of the excised ellipse flanking the tumor showed typical microscopic features of LNV, but no organoid components of nevus sebaceus (NS).We report the 12th case of SCACP, the first case of SCACP on the arm and the first case of SCACP arising from pre-existing SCAP, in what appeared to be an epidermal nevus.

The potential of molecular diagnosis of cutaneous ectopic schistosomiasis.

A 28-year-old woman presented with extensive erythematous lesions on her back after visiting Malawi. Skin biopsies showed ova, which could belong to Schistosoma spp. Sequencing of the Schistosoma 28S rRNA gene, extracted and amplified from paraffin biopsies, identified DNA of Schistosoma haematobium. Cutaneous ectopic schistosomiasis can present with extensive lesions and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of skin lesions in returning travelers. Microscopy and serology are the classical methods to obtain a diagnosis. Alternatively, molecular methods can be a valuable new tool for diagnosis and species determination.