Towards an effective management of chronic lymphedema.

Lymph conduit perturbation causes lymph stasis and the local accumulation of interstitial fluid. Lymphedema, a chronic and debilitating disorder, remains incurable despite the advances in the description of its pathomechanism and the improvement of conservative and nonsurgical treatments. The gold standard of lymphedema treatment is multicomponent decongestive physiotherapy.

Regulatory networks contributing to psoriasis susceptibility.

The non-involved, healthy-looking skin of psoriatic patients displays inherent characteristics that make it prone to develop typical psoriatic symptoms. Our primary aim was to identify genes and proteins that are differentially regulated in the non-involved psoriatic and the normal epidermis, and to discover regulatory networks responsible for these differences. A cDNA microarray experiment was performed to compare the gene expression profiles of 4 healthy and 4 psoriatic non-involved epidermis samples in response to T-cell lymphokine induction in organotypic cultures.

Expression and functional studies on the noncoding RNA, PRINS.

PRINS, a noncoding RNA identified earlier by our research group, contributes to psoriasis susceptibility and cellular stress response. We have now studied the cellular and histological distribution of PRINS by using in situ hybridization and demonstrated variable expressions in different human tissues and a consistent staining pattern in epidermal keratinocytes and in vitro cultured keratinocytes. To identify the cellular function(s) of PRINS, we searched for a direct interacting partner(s) of this stress-induced molecule.

Clinical relevance of autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune bullous dermatosis.

The authors present their experience related to the diagnosis, treatment, and followup of 431 patients with bullous pemphigoid, 14 patients with juvenile bullous pemphigoid, and 273 patients with pemphigus. The detection of autoantibodies plays an outstanding role in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis. Paraneoplastic pemphigoid is suggested to be a distinct entity from the group of bullous pemphigoid in view of the linear C3 deposits along the basement membrane of the perilesional skin and the "ladder" configuration of autoantibodies demonstrated by western blot analysis.

The expressions of ABCC4 and ABCG2 xenobiotic transporters in human keratinocytes are proliferation-related.

Xenobiotic transporters of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein superfamily play important roles in maintaining the biochemical barrier of various tissues, but their precise functions in the skin are not yet known. Screening of the expressions of the known xenobiotic transporter genes in two in vitro keratinocyte differentiation models revealed that the ABCC4 and ABCG2 transporters are highly expressed in proliferating keratinocytes, their expressions decreasing along with differentiation. Abrogation of the ABCC4 and ABCG2 protein functions by siRNA-mediated silencing and chemical inhibition did not affect the proliferation of HaCaT cells.

Specific inhibition of the ABCG2 transporter could improve the efficacy of photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy is based on the selective accumulation of a photosensitizer in tumors, followed by destruction of the target tissue by a light source. Protoporphyrin IX, a well-known photosensitizer, was recently reported as an endogenous substrate for the multidrug transporter ABCG2. We investigated the role of ABCG2 protein in the porphyrin extrusion ability of keratinocytes, with regard to the impact of the specific inhibition of ABCG2 by a non-toxic fumitremorgin C analog, Ko-134, on photodynamic therapy efficacy.

Comparison of stress-induced PRINS gene expression in normal human keratinocytes and HaCaT cells.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects approximately 2-4% of the population. We recently described a novel non-coding RNA, psoriasis susceptibility related RNA gene induced by stress (PRINS), that was overexpressed in non-lesional psoriatic epidermis, and its expression was induced by various stress factors such as serum starvation, contact inhibition, ultraviolet (UV)-B irradiation, viral infection and translational inhibition in HaCaT cells. In the present work we set out to compare the stress and microbial agent-induced PRINS expression in normal human keratinocytes (NHKs) and HaCaT cells.

Sortilin is expressed in cultured human keratinocytes and is regulated by cutaneous neuropeptides.

Sortilin, a member of the family of Vps10p domain receptors, has been shown to be able to bind the precursor peptide of nerve growth factor (proNGF). ProNGF interacts with sortilin and the p75(NTR) receptor on the cell surface to form a molecular complex capable of activating an apoptotic cascade. Keratinocytes can secrete proNGF and they have p75(NTR) on their surface.

The anti-apoptotic protein G1P3 is overexpressed in psoriasis and regulated by the non-coding RNA, PRINS.

Psoriasis Susceptibility-Related RNA Gene Induced by Stress (PRINS) is a non-coding RNA overexpressed in lesional and non-lesional psoriatic epidermis and induced by stress. Its function in healthy and psoriatic skin is still not known. Here, we report that PRINS regulates G1P3, a gene with anti-apoptotic effects in keratinocytes.

[The prevalence of melanocytic naevi among teenagers].

Unlabelled: Malignant melanoma is an increasing public health problem worldwide; accordingly, identification of the constitutional and environmental factors which contribute to the development of the disease, and hence identification of the individuals at high risk of melanoma, are indispensable steps in all primary prevention efforts.

Aim: The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of different pigmented lesions among schoolchildren, and to investigate their relationship with phenotypic pigmentary characteristics, sun exposure and other factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in two secondary schools in Szeged, Hungary.

The altered expression of syndecan 4 in the uninvolved skin of venous leg ulcer patients may predispose to venous leg ulcer.

Syndecan 4 (SDC4), a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and neuropilin 1 (NRP1), a transmembrane receptor, are both involved in normal wound healing, but little is known about their possible role in venous leg ulcer pathogenesis. We aimed to investigate whether there are any expression abnormalities and/or gene polymorphisms of SDC4 and NRP1 associated with venous leg ulcer. SDC4 showed significantly lower mRNA and protein expression in the uninvolved dermis of venous leg ulcer patients (n=15) compared with controls (n=15; p=0.

The Arg160Trp allele of melanocortin-1 receptor gene might protect against vitiligo.

Melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) and agouti signaling protein (ASIP) play pivotal roles in the regulation of human pigmentation. We aimed to study whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the MC1R and ASIP genes contribute to the pathogenesis of the polygenic pigment skin disorder, vitiligo. The PCR-amplified, full-length MC1R gene was studied with sequence analysis, and the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) SNP of ASIP was detected using restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Differential expression of D-type cyclins in HaCaT keratinocytes and in psoriasis.

In this study, we show that the G0-G1/S phase of HaCaT keratinocyte cell cycle is characterized by D1-type cyclin expression, whereas during the repeated rapid turnover of highly proliferating cells, the expression of cyclins D2 and D3 dominates. Knocking down cyclin D1 mRNA resulted in no change of cell proliferation and morphology, indicating that D2 and D3 cyclins could substitute for D1 in driving the cell cycle. Increased numbers of cyclin D1-expressing keratinocytes were found in the basal layers of the lesional psoriatic epidermis compared to both normal and non-lesional epidermis without increased expression of cyclin D1 mRNA, suggesting a possible dysfunction in the degradation of cyclin D1 protein.

First detection of the melanoma-predisposing proline-48-threonine mutation of p16 in Hungarians: was there a common founder either in Italy or in Hungary?

The P48T germ line mutation of p16 was detected in a Hungarian multiple primary melanoma patient (deceased at the age of 39) with no affected family members. Genetic analysis of the patient and his family revealed that the patient was homozygous for the mutation, whereas his parents (father currently aged 69 and mother 63), who are free from any malignancies and atypical moles, are both heterozygous for the mutation. Our data suggest that the P48T mutation of p16 is a strong melanoma-predisposing factor, but the fact that the heterozygous mutant parents have not yet exhibited melanoma or atypical moles indicates that the penetrance of this allele might depend on modifying factors.

Human adult epidermal melanocytes cultured without chemical mitogens express the EGF receptor and respond to EGF.

We describe a novel chemical mitogen-free in vitro culture technique for obtaining pure melanocyte cultures using normal human adult epidermis as a source. The culture medium consists equal parts of the commercially available Keratinocyte Basal and AIM-V media (both from Gibco), as basal medium, which is supplemented with fetal bovine serum, bovine pituitary extract and recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF). Melanocytes harvested from human adult skin proliferate extensively and can be passaged serially up to 10-15 times using this medium.

Long-term safety and efficacy of tacrolimus ointment for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in children.

Tacrolimus ointment is a topical calcineurin inhibitor for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. The primary objective of this open-label study was to assess the long-term safety of tacrolimus ointment. The primary end-point was the incidence of adverse events.

Effects of the neuropeptides substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and galanin on the production of nerve growth factor and inflammatory cytokines in cultured human keratinocytes.

Neuropeptides released from the cutaneous sensory nerve endings have neurotransmitter and immunoregulatory roles; they exert mitogenic actions and can influence the functions of different cell types in the skin. The aims of this study were a systematic investigation of the effects of the neuropeptides substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and galanin (GAL) on the inflammatory cytokine production (IL-1alpha, IL-8 and TNF-alpha) of the keratinocytes, and a study of their role in the production and secretion of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its precursor molecule (proNGF). Cultures of normal human keratinocytes were treated with 10(-8)M SP, CGRP, VIP or GAL for 30 min.

The expression of keratinocyte growth factor receptor (FGFR2-IIIb) correlates with the high proliferative rate of HaCaT keratinocytes.

Keratinocyte growth factor receptor (KGFR = FGFR2-IIIb) is a tyrosine kinase receptor expressed by keratinocytes, which mediates the effects of fibroblast growth factors (FGF). There are contradictory data in the literature regarding the role of FGFR2-IIIb during the proliferation/differentiation programme of keratinocytes. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether overexpression of FGFR2-IIIb may have a role in the regulation of keratinocyte proliferation.

Galanin receptor expression in cultured human keratinocytes and in normal human skin.

Galanin (GAL) is a biologically active neuropeptide that is widely distributed in the nervous system. GAL exerts diverse action via the GAL receptors (GALR1, GALR2, and GALR3), which belong in the superfamily of G-protein-coupled transmembrane receptors. In human skin, GAL-like immunoreactivity has been reported in free nerve endings and fibers of the dermis.