Interaction of Gal-7 with HMGCS1 In Vitro May Facilitate Cholesterol Deposition in Cultured Keratinocytes.

Three-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase (HMGCS) 1 was identified to interact with Gal-7, a pro-apoptotic β-galactoside‒binding protein, by yeast two-hybrid system. Their interaction was confirmed by in vitro β-galactosidase, Biacore, and immunoprecipitation assays. A distinct interactive site of HMGCS1 was found to reside at phenylalanine 26.

Porphyrin accumulation in humans with common dysfunctional variants of ABCG2, a porphyrin transporter: potential association with acquired photosensitivity.

Photosensitivity is a skin reaction disorder mediated by phototoxic and/or photoallergic mechanisms. The accumulation of porphyrins is generally considered to induce phototoxicity. ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) has been identified as a transporter of porphyrins and its common variants-p.

Ungual hyalohyphomycosis caused by .

onychomycosis is uncommon in the temperate climate zone of Japan. Based on the morphological characteristics and a gene analysis, we diagnosed a patient with ungual hyalohyphomycosis caused by belonging to the complex. This intractable disease was cured by 6-month treatment with efinaconazole 10% solution.

Accumulation of C-reactive protein in basal keratinocytes of normal skins.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a prototypic acute phase protein which increases dramatically in the blood during the first 48h of tissue inflammation and has been recognized as a risk factor for atherosclerosis. CRP interacts with a variety of proteins.

Objective: To know the role of accumulated CRP in the skin.

Evaluation of unique elastic aggregates (elastic globes) in normal facial skin by multiphoton laser scanning tomography.

Background: There is no reliable marker to estimate the degree of skin aging in vivo. It now has become possible to quantitatively determine the dermal characteristics of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vivo using multiphoton laser tomography (MLT).

Methods: Fifty-seven healthy Japanese female volunteers, aged from 20 to 60 years old, were examined using multiphoton depth-resolved measurements of autofluorescence (AF) and second harmonic generation (SHG) at three sites on their right cheek.

In vitro amyloidogenic peptides of galectin-7: possible mechanism of amyloidogenesis of primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis.

Pathogenesis of primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis (PLCA) is unclear, but pathogenic relationship to keratinocyte apoptosis has been implicated. We have previously identified galectin-7, actin, and cytokeratins as the major constituents of PLCA. Determination of the amyloidogenetic potential of these proteins by thioflavin T (ThT) method demonstrated that galectin-7 molecule incubated at pH 2.

Highly site-selective transvascular drug delivery by the use of nanosecond pulsed laser-induced photomechanical waves.

Photomechanical waves (PMWs), which were generated by irradiation of a light-absorbing material (laser target) with nanosecond laser pulses, were used for targeted transvascular drug delivery in rats. An Evans blue (EB) solution was injected into the tail vein, and laser targets were placed on the skin, muscle and brain. Each laser target was irradiated with a laser pulse(s) and 4h later, the rat was perfused and the distribution of EB fluorescence in the targeted tissues was examined.

Increase of elastic fibers in lichen sclerosus et atrophicus.

Background: Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) is histopathologically characterized by upper dermal hyalinization with vacuolar alteration, whereas no particular microscopic change in the mid to lower dermis has been described. The purpose of this study was to investigate any histopathologic changes involving elastic fibers in the mid to lower dermis in patients with LSA.

Methods: We surveyed 22 paraffin-embedded specimens of vulval (18 cases) and extragenital (4 cases) LSA.

Bullous pyoderma gangrenosum: a case report and review of the published work.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an ulcerative skin disorder characterized by neutrophilic infiltrations. PG is generally classified into four types: (i) ulcerative; (ii) pustular; (iii) bullous; and (iv) vegetative. Among them, bullous PG is known as a rare type.

Two cases of erythema exsudativum multiforme associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae infection.

We report two cases of erythema exsudativum multiforme (EEM) that we concluded were caused by infections with Chlamydia pneumoniae. High titers of IgG antibody for Chlamydia pneumoniae were shown in the sera of both cases. One case showed the classical symptoms of pneumonia together with radiological changes in the chest; the other case did not show these symptoms.

Collagen-derived dipeptide, proline-hydroxyproline, stimulates cell proliferation and hyaluronic acid synthesis in cultured human dermal fibroblasts.

Orally ingested collagen undergoes degradation to small di- or tripeptides, which are detected in circulating blood 2 h after ingestion. The influence of collagen-derived peptides on dermal extracellular matrix components and cell proliferation was studied using cultured human dermal fibroblasts. Of the various collagenous peptides tested here, the dipeptide proline-hydroxyproline (Pro-Hyp) enhanced cell proliferation (1.

AGE-modified collagens I and III induce keratinocyte terminal differentiation through AGE receptor CD36: epidermal-dermal interaction in acquired perforating dermatosis.

To clarify the molecular mechanism underlying the transepidermal extrusion of dermal collagen in acquired perforating dermatosis (APD) associated with diabetes mellitus and renal failure, we studied the interaction between advanced glycation end product (AGE)-modified extracellular matrix proteins and keratinocytes (KCs) in a cell culture system. The expression of involucrin (INV) and keratin 10 was significantly enhanced in normal human KCs grown on AGE-modified collagen I or III compared with cells grown on unmodified collagen I or III. Glycated collagens I and III preferentially induced the expression of AGE receptor CD36, but not of other AGE receptors.

Gap-mode SERS studies of azobenzene-containing self-assembled monolayers on Au(111).

Self-assembled monolayers of azobenzene-containing thiols on smooth Au(111) surfaces were studied by gap-mode surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (gap-mode SERS). By adsorption of colloidal Au nanoparticles on top of the organic adlayer highly reproducible spectra with strongly enhanced intensities are obtained. The observed bands indicate a trans conformation of the azobenzene moieties and are in agreement with structural data for the molecular layer.