Anetodermia y otras atrofias circunscriptas de la piel / Anetoderma and localized atrophies of the skin

Efectuamos una revisión de las denominadas atrofias circunscriptas de la piel, con énfasis en la anetodermia y la atrofodermia; ilustramos algunos casos vividos en los últimos años.

A review of the localized atrophies of the skin, focusing in the anetodermia and atrophoderma are made. Some of the cases from our Department of Dermatology are pictured.

Anetodermia y otras atrofias circunscriptas de la piel / Anetoderma and localized atrophies of the skin

Efectuamos una revisión de las denominadas atrofias circunscriptas de la piel, con énfasis en la anetodermia y la atrofodermia; ilustramos algunos casos vividos en los últimos años.(AU)

A review of the localized atrophies of the skin, focusing in the anetodermia and atrophoderma are made. Some of the cases from our Department of Dermatology are pictured.(AU)

Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis.

Juvenile hyaline fibromatosis (JHF) is a rare autosomal recessive disease with onset in infancy or early childhood. It is characterized by papulonodular skin lesions, soft tissue masses, gingival hypertrophy, and flexion contractures of the large joints. The light and electron microscopic features are very distinctive. Here we report an 8-month-old boy with characteristic stiffness of the knees and elbows and pink confluent papules on the paranasal folds, and periauricular and perianal regions. He also had hard nodules all over the scalp and around the mouth, and severe gingival hypertrophy. Histologic and ultrastructural features were typical of JHF. Clinical features, pathology, and physiology are discussed.

Expression of cathepsin D in primary and metastatic human melanoma and dysplastic nevi.

High levels of cytosolic cathepsin D expression have been associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer node-negative patients. In this work, we provide evidence that three cell lines established from human metastatic melanomas--IIB-MEL-J, IIB-MEL-LES, and IIB-MEL-IAN--express high levels of procathepsin D mRNA. IIB-MEL-J cells secreted into the conditioned media about 30% of the newly synthesized protein, which was active at acidic pH. Melanoma tumors arising in nude mice after injection of the three different cell lines expressed high levels of procathepsin D mRNA. Moreover, 13 human metastatic melanomas expressed variable levels of procathepsin D mRNA. To study the possible association between cathepsin D expression and melanoma development, samples corresponding to 10 primary tumors, 11 metastatic melanomas, 10 dysplastic nevi, 27 nevocellular nevi, and normal melanocytes were studied by immunohistochemistry for cathepsin D-specific staining. We found that cathepsin D was expressed in all of the dysplastic nevi and primary and metastatic melanomas tested but in only 18% of nevocellular nevi (five of 27), whereas normal melanocytes showed no cathepsin D expression. The overall data indicate that cathepsin D is expressed at a high level by melanoma cells, and because of its expression in preneoplastic lesions, it may be associated with melanoma development.

Reticulohistiocitosis autolimitada / Auto limited reticulohistiocytosis

Paciente que desde el nacimiento presenta pápulas de 4 a 5 mm. de diámetro, de color rojo-castaño con excoriaciones en su centro, localizadas en el cuero cabelludo, la cara, ambos pies, la pierna derecha, la zona periungueal y el párpado superior del ojo derecho, y una lesión purulenta en la muñeca. A los diez días de vida las lesiones van disminuyendo de tamaño, y a los 34 días desaparecen totalmente. Se realiza estudio histopatológico llegándose al diagnóstico en correlación con la clínica y la evolución; de histiocitosis autoinvolutiva de Hashimoto y Pritzker. Se realizan diagnósticos diferenciales y revisión de la literatura

Reticulohistiocitosis autolimitada / Auto limited reticulohistiocytosis

Paciente que desde el nacimiento presenta pápulas de 4 a 5 mm. de diámetro, de color rojo-castaño con excoriaciones en su centro, localizadas en el cuero cabelludo, la cara, ambos pies, la pierna derecha, la zona periungueal y el párpado superior del ojo derecho, y una lesión purulenta en la muñeca. A los diez días de vida las lesiones van disminuyendo de tamaño, y a los 34 días desaparecen totalmente. Se realiza estudio histopatológico llegándose al diagnóstico en correlación con la clínica y la evolución; de histiocitosis autoinvolutiva de Hashimoto y Pritzker. Se realizan diagnósticos diferenciales y revisión de la literatura (AU)

Kaposi's sarcoma of the conjunctiva.

Three cases of Kaposi's sarcoma involving the conjunctiva are reported. The first patient had been affected by a single lesion on the glans penis. In the second patient the conjunctival lesion adopted a peculiar globular shape. The third patient had been treated with corticosteroids for pemphigus when the Kaposi's sarcoma lesion appeared. Although these conjunctival lesions are extremely rare, dermatologists should not rule out the possibility of Kaposi's sarcoma with ocular involvement, bearing in mind its higher incidence because of the epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and the increasing number of patients with immunosuppression.

[Diffuse melanosis and melanuria in malignant melanoma]. / Melanosis difusa y melanuria en melanoma maligno.

A new case of diffuse melanosis with melanuria is reported. Light and electron microscopic technics were employed. Several hypothesis were proposed to explain the pathogenesis of this particular pigmentation: Dermal perivascular histiocitic cells phagocyte organelles originated in lysed circulating melanoma cells. Phagocytosis of the altered circulating melanoma cells by the endothelium. Macrophages containing ingested melanin migrate from the capillary lumen into the dermis. We consider that in this particular pigmentation participate two mechanism: a) The perivascular dermal macrophage phagocyte the pigment originated in the lysis of the circulating melanoma cells. b) Macrophages loaded with pigment granules cross the capillary wall and remain around the blood vessels.

Xantogranuloma juvenil. / Juvenile xanthogranuloma

Se presentan cuatro casos de xantogranuloma juvenil, dos de ellos con lesiones unicas, uno de los cuales afecta a un adulto.Se senalan las caracteristicas clinicas e histopatologicas, la falta de compromiso sistemico y sus posibles asociaciones. Se destaca la involucion espontanea de esta dermatosis, lo que hace innecesario su tratamiento

Xantogranuloma juvenil. / Juvenile xanthogranuloma

Se presentan cuatro casos de xantogranuloma juvenil, dos de ellos con lesiones unicas, uno de los cuales afecta a un adulto.Se senalan las caracteristicas clinicas e histopatologicas, la falta de compromiso sistemico y sus posibles asociaciones. Se destaca la involucion espontanea de esta dermatosis, lo que hace innecesario su tratamiento

Autonomic neuropathy in the skin: a histological study of the sympathetic nerve fibres in diabetic anhidrosis.

In diabetics with the anhidrotic syndrome, autonomic nerve fibres were studied in skin biopsies using argentic techniques and light microscopy. The Minor test was used to differentiate normal from anhidrotic skin areas. In the anhidrotic areas, histology of the nerve fibres showed beading, spindle-shaped thickening and fragmentation adjacent to the sweat glands. These changes were similar to those observed in two patients who had previously undergone lumbar sympathectomy. No abnormalities of the sympathetic nerve endings could be found in biopsies taken from normal areas of the forearm of the same patients. We conclude that the diabetic anhidrotic syndrome, a form of diabetic autonomic neuropathy, is due to a lesion of the sympathetic nerve supply to the skin. It is suggested that the Minor test or a skin biopsy should be performed in diabetic patients who are being considered for surgical sympathectomy.

[Retarded bullous dermographism]. / Dermografismo retardado ampollar.

A case of what we denominate Bullous Delayed Dermographism in a woman who had neither allergic nor urticarial antecedents is registered. We comment the features of the lesions which appeared after a period of 4 to 12 hs. This lesions appeared by friction or percussion. We describe the existence of an endocrine and psychological predisposition mechanism and the non specificity of the histopathological characters. The nonexistence of bibliographical antecedents of the illness is noted. Also its difference with bullous and pressure urticaria. This differentiation is based on clinical features, and the nonexistence of allergic antecedents and urticarial lesions. Also on the existence of friction mechanism different to the simple pressure and the nonexistence of immunoglobulins in the subepidermal blister.