Photoacoustic imaging of port-wine stains.

Background And Objective: To optimize laser therapy of port-wine stains (PWSs), information about the vasculature as well as lesion depth is valuable. In this study we investigated the use of photoacoustic imaging (PAI) to obtain this information.

Study Design/materials And Methods: PAI uses pulsed light to generate ultrasound upon absorption of short light pulses by blood.

Mutations in the transcription factor gene SOX18 underlie recessive and dominant forms of hypotrichosis-lymphedema-telangiectasia.

Hereditary lymphedema is a developmental disorder characterized by chronic swelling of the extremities due to dysfunction of the lymphatic vessels. Two responsible genes have been identified: the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3) gene, implicated in congenital lymphedema, or Milroy disease, and the forkhead-related transcription factor gene FOXC2, causing lymphedema-distichiasis. We describe three families with an unusual association of hypotrichosis, lymphedema, and telangiectasia.

Flow cytometric assessment of clearance and relapse characteristics in psoriasis vulgaris after treatment with weekly clobetasol lotion under hydrocolloid occlusion versus twice-daily clobetasol ointment.

Clearance and relapse characteristics of clobetasol lotion under hydrocolloid occlusion once weekly versus clobetasol ointment twice daily were assessed in a comparative flow cytometric study. Quantitative analysis of markers for epidermal proliferation, differentiation and inflammation was performed on epidermal single cell suspensions prepared from 3-mm punch biopsies taken from 15 patients with psoriasis vulgaris before therapy, at clearance and 6 weeks after clearance. After treatment both therapy regimens resulted in substantial changes of all flow cytometric parameters, but clearance was induced earlier in the corticosteroid under hydrocolloid occlusion-treated group.

Hypotrichosis, lymphedema of the legs and acral telangiectasias--new syndrome?

We describe a girl of Turkish descent suffering from a peculiar combination of symptoms. The presenting complaint was bilateral lymphedema of the legs; additional symptoms include hypotrichosis, telangiectasias and angiomata limited to acral regions. We discuss the possibility that this girl suffers from Noonan/cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome.

A woman with umbilical inflammation continuing for 9 years after delivery.

We report the case of a woman who, after her second pregnancy 9 years ago, had had malodorous leakage from the umbilicus and abdominal pain despite various treatments. Bacterial culture revealed growth of hemolytic streptococcus C. The cotton-tipped swab could be introduced 6 cm in the narrow tender opening.

Flow-cytometric characterization of normal versus psoriatic epidermis using improved cell separation methodology.

Recently a new approach for epidermal cell characterization was developed: three-parameter flow cytometrical analysis of pure and complete epidermal cell suspensions prepared from punch biopsies followed by dermoepidermal separation by thermolysin. The aim of the present communication is the comparison between psoriatic lesional skin and normal skin using this new approach with respect to the percentage of suprabasal keratinocytes (keratin 10+ cells), mesenchymal cells, including the infiltrate cells (vimentin+ cells) and the percentage of basal cells in SG2 M phase, in order to validate this methodology in studies on psoriatic skin. Punch biopsies were taken from 7 healthy volunteers and in 7 psoriatic patients 4 biopsies were taken in each of them from comparable lesions.

The epidermis of chronic idiopathic lichen planus during topical treatment with the vitamin D3 analogue KH 1060.

A parallel-group, double-blind, randomised study was performed to establish the effect of the vitamin D3 analogue KH 1060, in an ointment versus vehicle only, on the epidermal cell characteristics of chronic idiopathic lichen planus; KH 1060 also has marked immunosuppressive activity. A group of 10 patients were treated for 8 weeks with either KH 1060 ointment or vehicle only. In addition to the assessment of clinical scores, keratotome biopsies were taken before and after 8 weeks' treatment.

A clinical and flow cytometric model to study remission and relapse in psoriasis.

The aim of the present study has been to analyse remission and relapse characteristics in psoriasis vulgaris. In 15 patients, two different psoriatic lesions (clinical and flow cytometric study) were treated with clobetasol propionate until clearance for maximally 23 days. In the clinical study only cleared lesions were divided into three test sectors with different post-clearance treatment: (1) alcoholic solution under occlusion, (2) occlusion only, and (3) no treatment.

Multiparameter flow cytometry as a tool to evaluate antipsoriatic therapy.

Objective comparison of different antipsoriatic therapies requires quantitative assessment of disease severity. However, clinical assessment with the widely used Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) introduces inaccuracy. An alternative is the quantitative analysis of different epidermal cell parameters using multiparameter flow cytometry.

Epidermal cell DNA content and intermediate filaments keratin 10 and vimentin after treatment of psoriasis with calcipotriol cream once daily, twice daily and in combination with clobetasone 17-butyrate cream or betamethasone 17-valerate cream: a comparative flow cytometric study.

Calcipotriol and corticosteroids, two therapy modalities frequently prescribed in the treatment of psoriasis, are often used in combination. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the cell biological response pattern of concurrent use of calcipotriol and corticosteroids is different from calcipotriol monotherapy. Forty patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were divided at random in four parallel groups and treated for 8 weeks with: (1) calcipotriol cream (50 micrograms/g once daily); (2) calcipotriol cream twice daily; (3) calcipotriol and clobetasone 17-butyrate (0.

Multiparameter flow cytometric characterization of epidermal cell suspensions prepared from normal and hyperproliferative human skin using an optimized thermolysin-trypsin protocol.

Reliable flow cytometric analysis of normal and diseased skin requires pure epidermal single-cell suspensions. Several methods to separate the dermis from the epidermis are available. The proteolytic enzyme thermolysin separates the epidermis from the dermis at the lamina lucida and therefore permits reliable dermoepidermal separation.

The dynamics of the response of normal skin to single and multiple epicutaneous leukotriene B4 applications analysed by three-colour flow cytometry.

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is a potent chemoattractant and a well-established stimulator of DNA-synthesis in keratinocytes. Previously, repeated applications of LTB4 have been reported to induce a topically defined tachyphylaxis with respect to the extravasation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils. The aim of the present study was to quantify epidermal proliferation (% basal keratinocytes in S- and G2M phase), epidermal keratinization (% keratin 10-positive keratinocytes) and the appearance of "non-keratinocytes", including melanocytes, Langerhans' cells and infiltrate cells (% vimentin-positive cells) in order to further elucidate the effect of chronic exposition of normal skin to LTB4.

Topical treatment of psoriatic plaques with 1 alpha, 24 dihydroxyvitamin D3: a multiparameter flow cytometrical analysis of epidermal growth, differentiation and inflammation.

The clinical efficacy and tolerability of the vitamin D3 analogues calcitriol, calcipotriol and 1 alpha, 24 dihydroxyvitamin D3 in the treatment of psoriasis have been assessed in various clinical studies. In vitro and in vivo investigations have shown interference of these compounds with epidermal growth, keratinisation and inflammation. In this study we quantified the in vivo cell biological effects during treatment of psoriatic plaques with 1 alpha, 24 dihydroxyvitamin D3.

TO-PRO-3 iodide: a novel HeNe laser-excitable DNA stain as an alternative for propidium iodide in multiparameter flow cytometry.

A new red emitting fluorophore, TO-PRO-3 iodide (TP3), which is best excited by an HeNe laser (633 nm), has been compared with propidium iodide (PI) for measuring relative DNA content. TP3, which has a peak absorbance at 642 nm and emission at 661 nm, has been tested on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and keratinocytes in a two-laser system. As an example, we present a three-color flow cytometric application utilizing TP3 in combination with fluorescein-isothiocyanate (FITC) and phycoerythrin (PE) conjugated to monoclonal antibodies in this paper.

Effects of sphingosine, isoquinoline and tannic acid on the human tape-stripping model and the psoriatic lesion.

Published data (mainly from rodent skin) suggest a correlation between compounds which inhibit protein kinase C (PKC), have anti-inflammatory or antitumor characteristics and possess antipsoriatic potential. We have investigated the effects of topical application of sphingosine (a naturally occurring PKC inhibitor), isoquinoline (a component of coal tar which showed antipsoriatic capacities in the mouse tail model) and tannic acid (a plant phenol with antitumor activity) on human skin. In each case we have assessed (a) the level of induction of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) following Sellotape stripping as an indicator for potential PKC inhibition in vivo, and (b) its effects on the lesions of chronic plaque psoriasis.