[The estimation of atopic dermatitis in infants and small children in general practitioner's practice--own observations]. / Ocena czestosci wystepowania atopowego zapalenia skóry u niemowlat i malych dzieci w praktyce lekarza rodzinnego --doswiadczenia wlasne.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the work is to estimate the frequency of atopic dermatitis in general practitioner's practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study has been conducted on the basis of the retrospective analysis of medical documentation of individual history of disease among children born in 2005-2008 treated in an outpatient clinic of the Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital, Lodz, Poland. RESULTS: Infants and small children suffering from atopic dermatitis are abig group (31.8%) in own observations. Many of them have dissemination skin lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Atopic dermatitis becomes a more frequent problem in infants and small children in general practitioner's practice. We observe more and more children with disseminated allergic skin lesions.

[The role of Langerhans cells in the skin immune system]. / Znaczenie komórek Langerhansa w ukladzie immunologicznym skóry.

Langerhans cells (LC) are members of the dendritic cells family, residing in the basal and suprabasal layers of the epidermis and in the epithelia of the respiratory, digestive and urogenital tracts. They specialize in antigen presentation and belong to the skin immune system (SIS). LC acquire antigens in peripheral tissues, transport them to regional lymph nodes, present to naive T cells and initiate adaptive immune response. LC have strong immunogenic properties but they may also act as mediators of tolerance, for example to comensal bacteria. They are involved in antimicrobial immunity, skin immunosurveillance, induction phase of the contact hypersensitivity and in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases of the skin or mucosa. We present the current knowledge of Langerhans cells' role in the skin immune system.

Do Langerhans cells play a role in vulvar epithelium resistance to squamous cell carcinoma?

INTRODUCTION: Langerhans cells (LCs) are a very important part of the skin immune system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Skin biopsies taken from 13 women after the removal of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) who had not been treated earlier for any vulvar diseases were investigated. The control group consisted of 12 women who underwent a plastic surgical operation of the vulva region. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues samples using antihuman CD1a antibody (NCL-CD1a-235, Novocastra). RESULTS: This study showed a large decrease in LCs in vulvar SCC. CONCLUSIONS: It is postulated that the reduction in the number of LCs may be one of the reasons for a higher tendency of carcinogenesis in the vulvar region. Their role as a main element of the skin immune system in the initiation of this process needs further investigation. It is possible that research on LCs in the skin will cast a new light on their role and even contribute to the prophylaxis and treatment of skin and mucosa carcinomas.

Langerhans cells in vulvar lichen sclerosus and vulvar squamous cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Langerhans cells (LCs), specializing in antigen presentation, are a very important part of the skin immune system (SIS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Skin biopsies from 22 women with vulvar lichen sclerosus (LS): 15 patients with early and 7 with the late stage of the disease, were evaluated. Five women with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were also examined. The control group consisted of 9 women who underwent plastic surgery of the vulvar region. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues samples using antihuman CD1a antibody (NCL-CD1a-235, Novocastra). RESULTS: Increased numbers of LC stainings were present in early LS, whereas decreased numbers of these cells were present in late LS and in SCC compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that dysregulation of the SIS may lead to suppression of LCs in the vulvar epithelium and may be one of the reasons for a higher tendency for carcinogenesis in the vulvar region.

Influence of systemic photochemotherapy on regulatory T cells and selected cytokine production in psoriatic patients: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the skin with strong genetic and environmental risk factors and is regarded as a Th1 cell-type disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of one-month PUVA (Psoralen Ultraviolet A) therapy on a regulatory T-cell subpopulation (CD4+CD25+) and the production of some cytokines. MATERIAL/METHODS: The study was performed on the group of 12 patients with severe psoriasis. They were put on PUVA therapy for one month. We analyzed the level of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells using a FACSCalibur cytometer and CellQuest Software. The production of IFN-gamma (interferon-gamma), TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha), IL (interleukin) -10, IL-5, IL-4, and IL-2 by lymphocytes was estimated by using a CBA system. The control group consisted of 11 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: We found that the production of INF-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-2, and IL-10 in psoriatic patients before PUVA application increased significantly compared with the control group. In patients after PUVA therapy we observed decreased production of TNF-alpha and a decreased number of CD4+CD25+ cells in the blood compared with the same group of patients before the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that systemic PUVA therapy led to a marked reduction in CD4+CD25+ T cells and a change in cytokine production.