Graft-versus-host disease-like immunophenotype and apoptotic keratinocyte death in paraneoplastic pemphigus.

Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PP) is an autoimmune disease, which is frequently associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Autoantibodies against components of the cytoplasmic plaque of epithelial desmosomes are usually present in the sera and are believed to play a major pathogenic part in acantholysis and suprabasal epidermal blistering. However, another typical histological feature of PP, interface dermatitis with keratinocyte dyskeratosis, is shared with skin diseases that involve epithelial damage mediated by T cells.

Expression of the CD4+ cell-specific chemoattractant interleukin-16 in mycosis fungoides.

Interleukin-16 is a soluble ligand to the CD4 molecule with chemotactic properties for CD4+ cells and a competence growth factor for CD4+ T cells, upregulating HLA-DR and the interleukin-2 receptor CD25. There is also evidence for a synergistic effect of interleukin-16 and interleukin-2 on the activation of CD4+ T cells. The infiltrate in mycosis fungoides, the most common cutaneous T cell lymphoma, is typically CD4+.

[Psychotics and their bodies].

We observed and other persons, too, (visitors, new patients...