Level and correlates of physical activity among children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis compared to controls: results from a German nationwide prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Physical active lifestyles are essential throughout growth and maturation and may offer potential preventive and therapeutic benefit in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Insufficient physical activity (PA), in contrast, can lead to aggravation of disease-related symptoms. This study aimed to i) examine PA levels in children and adolescents with JIA compared to general population controls and ii) investigate correlates of pronounced physical inactivity in order to identify risk groups for sedentary behaviour.

Proteomic Analysis of Dupuytren's Contracture-Derived Sweat Glands Revealed the Synthesis of Connective Tissue Growth Factor and Initiation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition as Major Pathogenetic Events.

Dupuytren's contracture (DC) is a chronic and progressive fibroproliferative disorder restricted to the palmar fascia of the hands. Previously, we discovered the presence of high levels of connective tissue growth factor in sweat glands in the vicinity of DC nodules and hypothesized that sweat glands have an important role in the formation of DC lesions. Here, we shed light on the role of sweat glands in the DC pathogenesis by proteomic analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy.

Stimulation with THBS4 activates pathways that regulate proliferation, migration and inflammation in primary human keratinocytes.

As in other mammalian tissues, the extracellular matrix (ECM) of skin functions as mechanical support and regulative environment that guides the behavior of the cells. ECM is a gel-like structure that is primarily composed of structural and nonstructural proteins. While the content of structural proteins is stable, the level of nonstructural ECM proteins, such as thrombospondin-4 (THBS4), is dynamically regulated.

Matricellular proteins in cutaneous wound healing.

Cutaneous wound healing is a complex process that encompasses alterations in all aspects of the skin including the extracellular matrix (ECM). ECM consist of large structural proteins such as collagens and elastin as well as smaller proteins with mainly regulative properties called matricellular proteins. Matricellular proteins bind to structural proteins and their functions include but are not limited to interaction with cell surface receptors, cytokines, or protease and evoking a cellular response.