Bowenoid papulosis of the vulva-immunotherapeutical approach with topical imiquimod.

INTRODUCTION: Bowenoid papulosis is a characteristic lesion of the ano-genital region and represents a form of squamous cell carcinoma in situ, very often associated to the oncogenic high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) types 16, 18, 31 and 33. Therapies applied so far, in general, show high rates of relapse, and patients complain of pruritus and pain. Imiquimod cream is a topical immune response modifier with indirect antiviral and antitumor effects through the stimulation of local cytokine production and cell-mediated immune response. CASE REPORT: In the present paper we report on the topical application of imiquimod cream in a woman with a high-risk HPV-associated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia grade III (VIN III) of the vulva. DISCUSSION: In addition a review of the literature is given.

[Benign symmetrical Launois-Bensaude type II lipomatosis with market systemic involvement and psoriasis]. / Benigne symmetrische Lipomatose Launois-Bensaude Typ II mit ausgeprägter Systembeteiligung und Psoriasis.

Benign symmetric lipomatosis of the pseudoathletic type was identified in a woman with a positive family history for the disorder and a past history of alcohol abuse. She had an exceptionally high number of additional diseases such as arthropathy with degenerative osteoporosis, hyperuricemia, hyperlipidemia, psoriasis, neuropathy, muscular atrophy, arteriosclerosis and increased cardiovascular risk factors.

Localization of protein kinase C in primary cultures of human keratinocytes in relation to cell contact proteins.

To investigate the role of protein kinase C (PKC), one of the key factors in cellular signalling, in the integrity of cell contacts, we studied the effects of PKC activation and inhibition on cell-cell and cell-substratum contacts. We localized PKC, actin and two major elements of zonula adherens (vinculin, E-cadherin) and focal contacts (vinculin) in primary cultures of normal human keratinocytes (nHEK) by fluorescent analogue cytochemistry. The activity of PKC was influenced by administration of TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, a specific PKC activator) and H-7 [1-(5-isoquinolinesulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine, a PKC inhibitor] for various periods of time. Our results show varying effects of TPA and H-7 on zonula adherens and focal contacts, suggesting differences in modulation of both types of adherens junctions by mechanisms partially involving PKC. In addition, TPA treatment of nHEK leads to changes in actin cytoskeletal organization.