Expression and function of the natural cytotoxicity receptor NKp46 on circulating malignant CD4+ T lymphocytes of Sézary syndrome patients.

The natural cytotoxicity receptors NKp30, NKp44, and NKp46 were identified as activating receptors mainly expressed by natural killer (NK) lymphocytes. In this study we show that peripheral blood malignant CD4(+) T lymphocytes from patients with Sézary syndrome, an aggressive form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, express NKp46 at their cell surface. Although NKp46 does not behave as an independent functional receptor, its engagement provides a strong inhibiting signal on the malignant T lymphocyte CD3-induced proliferation.

Human and mouse mast cells express and secrete the GPI-anchored isoform of CD160.

CD160 is expressed by human and mouse natural killer (NK) cells and other cytotoxic lymphocyte subpopulations. CD160 is mostly expressed as a trimeric 83 kDa glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored activating NK receptor, cleaved upon IL-15 stimulation in a secreted trimeric soluble form (sCD160) that binds to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules, while a transmembrane isoform appears. sCD160 exhibits immunoregulatory function as it inhibits CD8(+) T-lymphocyte cytotoxic activity.

Multidisciplinary team meetings in Oncology: first analysis of benefits and evaluation of activity in a Dermatology unit in France.

Improving Multi-Disciplinary Meetings (MDM) is one of the 70 clauses of the French Cancer Plan of 2003-2007. The French High Authority of Health (HAS) and the National Cancer Institute (INCa) have established guidelines to standardize MDM concerning cancer care. No objective assessment of cutaneous cancer (dermato-oncology) MDM has been published yet, despite the growing numbers in the incidence of skin cancers.

[Management of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas: Recommendations of the French Cutaneous Lymphoma Group].

Background: Classification of diagnostic methods, of initial staging and of the treatment of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, particularly the most common epidermotropic forms, constitutes an essential step in rationalising therapeutic practice and in evaluating the results of treatment.

Patients And Methods: We carried out an analysis of the literature and of existing recommendations in order to create recommendations regarding the diagnosis, initial staging and treatment of primary T-cell lymphomas.

Results: We present the key elements of diagnosis and initial staging.

IL-10 produced by activated human B cells regulates CD4(+) T-cell activation in vitro.

IL-10-producing regulatory B cells have been identified in mice and shown to downregulate inflammation, making them potentially important for maintenance of tolerance. In this study, we isolated B cells from human blood and spleen, and showed that after a short period of ex vivo stimulation a number of these cells produced IL-10. The IL-10-producing B cells did not fall within a single clearly defined subpopulation, but were enriched in both the memory (CD27(+)) and the transitional (CD38(high)) B-cell compartments.

[Management of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma: recommendations of the French cutaneous lymphoma study group].

Aims: To provide recommendations for the treatment of cutaneous B-cell lymphomas (CBCL).

Methods: Literature review and expert opinions from the French Cutaneous Lymphoma Study Group.

Results: Diagnosis of marginal zone BCL (MZ BCL), centrofollicular BCL (CF BCL) or cutaneous large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (CLBCL, LT) is based on combination of clinical signs and histopathological features, together with B-cell clonality analyses whenever possible.

Histopathologic diagnosis of lymphomatous versus inflammatory erythroderma: a morphologic and phenotypic study on 47 skin biopsies.

Erythroderma may be secondary to a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and various other erythrodermic inflammatory dermatoses (EID), and their histopathologic distinction is often difficult. The aim of this study was to determine if morphological parameters, namely: the presence of b-catenin, and JunB (previously shown to be expressed by CTCL cells), the epidermal CD8:CD3 ratio, and CD30 expression may help in the histopathologic diagnosis of erythroderma, especially in differentiating CTCL and EID. We retrospectively reviewed a series of 47 skin biopsies from patients with erythroderma (18 CTCL and 29 EID).

Open trial of ciclosporin treatment for Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Background Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)are acute mucocutaneous reactions associated with poor prognosis. The treatment is mainly symptomatic, based on supportive care. Until now, several curative treatments have been proposed without evidence of effectiveness.

[Erythema elevatum diutinum associated with pyoderma gangrenosum in an HIV-positive patient].

Background: Erythema elevatum diutinum (EED) is a very rare form of chronic dermatosis clinically characterised by reddish-violet papular nodules extending to the surfaces of the limbs and extremities. Histologically, there are classically two phases of progression initially involving associated neutrophilic dermatosis and leucocytoclastic vasculitis, which is later followed by fibrosis of characteristic appearance. We report the association of EED and pyoderma gangrenosum in a patient infected with HIV.

[Two cases of psoas abscesses caused by group A beta-haemolytic streptococcal infection with a cutaneous portal of entry].

Background: Psoas abscess is a rare clinical entity that occurs chiefly after intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal infection. We report two cases of psoas abscesses caused by group A beta-haemolytic streptococcal infection having a cutaneous portal of entry.

Case Reports: The first patient, a 50-year-old man, was feverish and had ulcerative and necrotic cutaneous lesions evocative of ecthyma that were progressing for three months and were recently associated with a painful mass in the left iliac fossa, leading to difficulties in walking.

Assessment of risk of psoriatic arthritis in patients with plaque psoriasis: a systematic review of the literature.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in the patients with plaque psoriasis and to give recommendation for the diagnosis of PsA for dermatologists.

Methods: A systematic search was performed in Pubmed, Cochrane and Embase databases. The key-words used from the Medical Searching Heading (MeSH) were: 'Psoriasis', 'Arthritis, Psoriatic', 'Uveitis' and 'Dactylitis'.

Cardiovascular risk factors in patients with plaque psoriasis: a systematic review of epidemiological studies.

Introduction: Many epidemiological studies have associated psoriasis with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, resulting from a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in psoriasis patients compared with unmatched controls. However, the results of epidemiological studies vary depending upon the populations studied. The aim of this systemic review was to evaluate the risk of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity in adults with plaque psoriasis.

What are the best outcome measures for assessing quality of life in plaque type psoriasis? A systematic review of the literature.

Background: The assessment of health-related quality of life (QOL) is important in psoriasis. Despite this, among the wide variety of QOL questionnaires used in psoriasis, there is no consensus as to which is the best.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to identify which of these measurements have acceptable evaluation criteria for both monitoring disease and research purposes.

What are the best outcome measures for assessing plaque psoriasis severity? A systematic review of the literature.

Background: A wide variety of scoring systems have been proposed to assess severity of psoriasis. Given its importance as a health issue both for patients and health care systems, it is critically important to evaluate the validity and reliability of existing outcome measures.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to assess the extent of validation including the validity, reliability, sensitivity to change and ease of use of available outcome measures for psoriasis.

Evidence-based recommendations to assess psoriasis severity: systematic literature review and expert opinion of a panel of dermatologists.

Background: Severity of psoriasis appears to be multidimensional and its assessment in everyday clinical practice requires a complex holistic approach.

Objectives: To develop evidence-based recommendations to assess severity of plaque-type psoriasis in adult patients in everyday clinical practice.

Methods: A scientific committee (10 members identified on the basis of their expertise in psoriasis) using Delphi methodology selected eight questions in three domains: severity, health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and comorbidities.

Phase II clinical trial of intratumoral application of TG1042 (adenovirus-interferon-gamma) in patients with advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and multilesional cutaneous B-cell lymphomas.

Cutaneous lymphomas (CLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative disorders that are manageable by immunotherapy. Twenty-one patients were enrolled in a prospective open-label, dose-escalation multicenter study evaluating the effects of repeated TG1042 [adenovirus-interferon (IFN)-gamma] intralesional injections in patients with primary CLs, of which 18 were of T-cell and 3 of B-cell type. Repeated intralesional therapy using TG1042 consistently results in local tumor regressions in about half of treated patients and one-third of patients also in regressions in noninjected distant lesions, likely reflecting the systemic immune activation after intralesional therapy.

Cutaneous macroglobulinosis: a report of 2 cases.

Background: Specific cutaneous lesions of Waldenström macroglobulinemia are rare and include neoplastic cell infiltrates, IgM bullous disease, and so-called IgM-storage papules, which characterize cutaneous macroglobulinosis (CM).

Observations: We report 2 patients with CM. In patient 1, CM started as small papules, as reported in most of the previously published case studies of CM.

[What's new in oncodermatology?].

Several epidemiologic studies using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End results program, have shown that the incidence of melanoma and of cutaneous lymphomas has clearly increased in the United States. Two independent groups have reported genome-wide association studies identifying variants associated to an increased risk of melanoma. Tumor stem cells were found to have an increased frequency when compared to previously reported studies, and also a greater plasticity.