Molecular cloning and characterization of alternatively spliced mRNA isoforms from psoriatic skin encoding a novel member of the S100 family.

In an effort to identify psoriasis-associated genes, we compared gene expression in normal and psoriatic skin, using differential display RT-PCR technique. Sequence analysis of a 650-bp cDNA fragment (clone 110) that was highly up-regulated in lesional skin revealed homology to a noncoding cDNA (NICE-2). By subsequent cDNA cloning, using RNA from psoriatic skin, we have identified two alternatively spliced mRNA-isoforms (0.

Imiquimod to treat different cancers of the epidermis.

Background: Topical immunomodulatory therapy with imiquimod has been recently used for the treatment of actinic keratoses, intraepithelial carcinoma, and small basal cell carcinoma (BCC) besides the licensed indication of extragenital warts (condyloma).

Methods: We treated several patients with particular epidermal neoplasias such as squamous cell cancer (SCC) and basal cell cancer of sclerodermiform type three times per week for 4 to 12 weeks.

Results: We report several novel aspects of the treatment of epidermal cancers with self-applied, nonpainful, immunomodulatory therapy.

HAX-1, identified by differential display reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, is overexpressed in lesional psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by epidermal hyperplasia and an inflammatory infiltrate. The normal differentiation from basal to granular keratinocytes with subsequent apoptosis and cornification is disturbed in the akanthotic epidermis. This could be due to both an excess of mitogenic stimuli with hyperproliferation and/or resistance to apoptosis.