Reduced immunohistochemical expression of CCN3 in vitiligo.

Background: Defective adhesion seems to be involved in the chronic loss of melanocytes observed in vitiligo. Recent findings showed an association of genetic variants of an adhesion gene with vitiligo and reduced immunohistochemical expression of some adhesion molecules in vitiligo skin.

Aims: To compare CCN3 immunohistochemical expression in lesional and non-lesional epidermis of individuals with vitiligo.

Reduced immunohistochemical expression of adhesion molecules in vitiligo skin biopsies.

Because defects in adhesion impairment seem to be involved in the etiopathogenesis of vitiligo, this study aimed to compare the immunohistochemical expression of several adhesion molecules in the epidermis of vitiligo and non lesional vitiligo skin. Sixty-six specimens of lesional and non lesional skin from 33 volunteers with vitiligo were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using anti-beta-catenin, anti-E-cadherin, anti-laminin, anti-beta1 integrin, anti-collagen IV, anti-ICAM-1 and anti-VCAM-1 antibodies. Biopsies of vitiligo skin demonstrated a significant reduction in the expression of laminin and integrin.

Pregnancy during Ustekinumab Treatment for Severe Psoriasis.

We report the case of a 25-year-old patient who became pregnant during ustekinumab therapy. Treatment was suspended immediately after pregnancy had been confirmed. The patient had an uneventful pregnancy and her child is currently 14 months old, with adequate development to her age.

Vitiligo--Part 2--classification, histopathology and treatment.

In an unprecedented effort in the field of vitiligo, a global consensus resulted on a suggested new classification protocol for the disease. The main histopathological finding in vitiligo is the total absence of functioning melanocytes in the lesions, while the inflammatory cells most commonly found on the edges of the lesions are CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. Physical and pharmacological treatment strategies aim to control the autoimmune damage and stimulate melanocyte migration from the unaffected edges of lesions and the outer hair follicle root sheath to the affected skin; moreover, surgical treatments can be combined with topical and physical treatments.

Early diagnosis of lung cancer: the great challenge. Epidemiological variables, clinical variables, staging and treatment.

Objective: To evaluate confirmed cases of lung cancer, reviewing epidemiological variables, clinical variables, staging and treatment.

Methods: The cases of 263 patients were studied. All of the patients had been treated at the Universidade Federal do Paraná (Federal University of Paraná) Hospital de Clínicas or at the Hospital Erasto Gaertner, two institutions that, together, serve a significant portion of the patients seeking treatment in the city of Curitiba, located in the state of Paraná.