Victory and defeat in the induction of a therapeutic response through vaccine therapy for human and canine brain tumors: a review of the state of the art.

Anti-tumor immunotherapy using tumor lysate-based vaccines has made great advances over recent decades. Cancer vaccines aim to elicit adaptive immune responses through various pathways by providing tumor and tumor-associated antigens with an immune stimulant or adjuvant. These anti-tumor vaccines are therefore developed as personalized treatments. Utilizing tumors as a source of vaccine antigens in immunotherapy has demonstrated promising results with minimal toxicity. However, to date, researchers have failed to overcome the overpowering immune suppressive effects within the tumor microenvironment. Immune suppression occurs naturally via multiple mechanisms. These mechanisms serve an important homeostatic role restoring a normal tissue microenvironment following an inflammatory response. Due to these suppressive mechanisms and the inherent heterogeneity of tumors, it is imperative to then elicit and maintain a specific tumoricidal response if vaccine therapy or some other combination of reagents is chosen. In this review, we focus on the historical use of tumors as a source of antigens to elicit a tumoricidal response and the limitations encountered that prevent greater success in immunotherapy. We describe the advantages and disadvantages of various vaccines and their ineffectiveness due to tumor-induced immune suppression.

A Deep Dive Into Instagram's Top Skinfluencers.

We characterized skinfluencers from various training backgrounds and compared their posts on Instagram featuring skin care products.

Contact Allergens in Prescription Topical Ophthalmic Medications.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Both active and inactive ingredients in topical ophthalmic agents may cause allergic contact dermatitis. Here, we examined ingredients in prescription topical ophthalmic medications available in the United States. METHODS: A comprehensive list of topical ophthalmic medications was generated using AccessPharmacy. Categories included antiglaucoma, antibiotic, antibiotic/corticosteroid, corticosteroid, antiviral, antifungal, mydriatic, and miotic agents. For each formulation, ingredients were investigated using the National Institutes of Health US National Library of Medicine database and/or manufacturer websites. Counts and proportions were calculated for inactive ingredients, including those in the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) Core 90 Allergen Series. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-four unique prescription ophthalmic medications met the inclusion criteria. The most common ACDS Core 90 allergen/cross-reactor inactive ingredient was benzalkonium chloride (68.1%, 180/264), followed by sorbates (11.7%, 31/264), parabens (6.8%, 18/264), sodium metabisulfite (3.8%, 10/264), propylene glycol (3.0%, 8/264), and lanolin (3.0%, 8/264). Approximately 21% (20.8%, 55/264) of products had no ACDS Core 90 allergens/cross-reactor inactive ingredients. The most common ACDS Core 90 allergen/cross-reactor active ingredients were aminoglycoside antibiotics, bacitracin/polymyxin B, and corticosteroids. Important non-ACDS Core 90 allergens included inactive ingredients, such as EDTA 28.0% and thimerosal 2.7%, as well as active ingredients, especially ß-blockers. CONCLUSIONS: Benzalkonium chloride, sodium metabisulfite, propylene glycol, and lanolin were common inactive ingredient allergens. Most ophthalmic categories had low allergen formulations available for patients with contact allergy.

Patient Quality of Life Improvement in Bullous Disease: A Review of Primary Literature and Considerations for the Clinician.

Autoimmune and inherited bullous disorders are rare skin diseases that may have a profound negative impact on quality of life (QOL). Common symptoms include pain, pruritus, and scarring, and complications may result in the loss of the ability to perform daily tasks. Diagnosis may have a negative psychological impact, and ongoing management may require a significant allocation of time and resources by both patients and providers. To provide patient-centered care, consideration of these factors is of utmost importance for the dermatologist treating patients with bullous disorders. Herein, we present a review of the primary literature evaluating QOL in autoimmune and inherited bullous disorders, including pemphigus, pemphigoid, epidermolysis bullosa, and Hailey-Hailey disease.

Patch Testing to Carvone: North American Contact Dermatitis Group Experience, 2009 to 2018.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Carvone, a flavoring agent, may cause allergic contact dermatitis. This study summarizes patch test reactions to carvone in patients tested by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, 2009 to 2018. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of patients positive to carvone (5% petrolatum). Demographics were compared with those of patients who were negative. Other analyses included reaction strength, clinical relevance, coreactivity with other fragrance/flavor allergens, and exposure sources. RESULTS: Of 24,124 patients tested to carvone, 188 (0.78%) were positive. As compared with carvone-negative patients, carvone-positive patients were significantly more likely older than 40 years (P = 0.0284). Women (76.1%) and/or facial involvement (33.0%) were common in the carvone-positive group but not statistically different from carvone-negative patients; 73.3% (n = 138) of the reactions were currently relevant. Relevant sources were personal care products (46.3%, n = 87) and food (14.3%, n = 27). Coreactivity with other fragrance/flavor markers was present in 60.6% of carvone-positive patients, most commonly fragrance mix I (34.6%), balsam of Peru (24.5%), and cinnamic aldehyde (15.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Ten-year prevalence of carvone sensitivity was 0.78%. Most carvone-positive patients were female, were older than 40 years, and/or had facial dermatitis. Personal care products were the most common source. Two-fifths of carvone reactions would have been missed by relying on other fragrance/flavoring allergens.

Patch Test Reactions Associated With Topical Medications: A Retrospective Analysis of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group Data (2001-2018).

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Topical medications may lead to allergic contact dermatitis. This study characterized positive patch test reactions associated with medications in patients evaluated by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG). METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of the NACDG data (2001-2018). Patients with at least 1 positive patch test reaction associated with a medication source were included. Allergens, reaction characteristics, clinical relevance, and source details were tabulated. RESULTS: Of 43,722 patients, 6374 (14.6%) had positive allergic patch test reactions associated with 1 or more topical medication sources. Patients with versus without allergic reactions to medications were more likely to be older than 40 years (P < 0.0001) and/or have primary sites of dermatitis on the legs, anal/genital region, or trunk (P < 0.0001). There were 8787 reactions to NACDG allergens; the most common were neomycin (29.4%), bacitracin (29.1%), propylene glycol 100% (10.6%), tixocortol-17-pivalate (10.0%), lidocaine (7.9%), budesonide (4.9%), and dibucaine (4.4%). Propylene glycol 100% was the most common inactive ingredient (10.6%). Current relevance was present in 61.0%. A total of 6.5% of the individuals with medication allergy would have had 1 or more positive patch test reactions missed if only tested to the NACDG screening series. CONCLUSIONS: Positive patch test reactions associated with topical medications were common (14.6%), and most were clinically relevant. Patients with topical medication allergy were twice as likely to have anal/genital involvement. Active ingredients, especially neomycin, bacitracin, and tixocortol-17-pivalate, were frequent culprits.

Alternatives for Allergens in the 2018 American Contact Dermatitis Society Core Series: Report by the American Contact Alternatives Group.

The most successful treatment for contact allergy is allergen avoidance. Patient improvement ultimately relies on identification of safe alternative products, which can be used by the patient. "Safe" personal care product options can typically be found using ingredient database programs. Avoidance of allergens in other products (ie, shoes, clothing, dental care, etc) is often challenging. In this article, the American Contact Alternatives Group discusses how to find specific safe alternatives for the 80 allergens on the American Contact Dermatitis Society core allergen series (Dermatitis. 2017;28:141-143). The alternatives listed in this article are accurate as of the date of publication; however, the availability of these alternatives may change in the future (disclaimer).

Tumor-derived vaccines containing CD200 inhibit immune activation: implications for immunotherapy.

There are over 400 ongoing clinical trials using tumor-derived vaccines. This approach is especially attractive for many types of brain tumors, including glioblastoma, yet so far the clinical response is highly variable. One contributor to poor response is CD200, which acts as a checkpoint blockade, inducing immune tolerance. We demonstrate that, in response to vaccination, glioma-derived CD200 suppresses the anti-tumor immune response. In contrast, a CD200 peptide inhibitor that activates antigen-presenting cells overcomes immune tolerance. The addition of the CD200 inhibitor significantly increased leukocyte infiltration into the vaccine site, cytokine and chemokine production, and cytolytic activity. Our data therefore suggest that CD200 suppresses the immune system's response to vaccines, and that blocking CD200 could improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.