Activation of Mouse Dendritic Epidermal T Cells(Vgamma5/Vdelta1 TCR+ T Lymphocytes) by Transformed Keratinocyte Cell Lines / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Dendritic epidermal T cells(DETC) are skin specific members of the epithelial gammadelta-T cell family that reside normally in mouse epidermis. Although the mechanisms of antigen recognition by alpabeta-T cells have become better defined, the physiological role of the gammadelta-T cells and ligands they recognize are still poorly understood. OBJECT: In the present study we sought to elucidate the antigen specificity and whether the DETC recognize transformed keratinocyte derived antigen. METHOD: We used a DETC and TCR(-) DETC which were obtained by 1600R gamma-irradiation and sorting, in addition to transformed keratinocyte cell lines. We performed coculture experiments of DETC/transformed keratinocyte cell lines to detect direct evidence that DETC recognize the keratinocyte-derived antigen. RESULT: 1. TCR negative variants of DETC do not respond to concanavalin(Con)-A, but respond to phobol myristate acetate(PMA)/ionomycin. 2. PAM 212, UV-irradiated PAM 212 and heat shocked PAM 212 cells stimulate DETC. PAM 212 cells could perform as stimulator of DETC even in the absence of stress signal. 3. UV irradiated XB2 cells stimulate DETC, but XB2 and heat shocked XB2 cells could not stimulate DETC. 4. DETC do not respond to fibroblast, UV-irradiated fibroblast and heat shocked fibroblast 5. TCR negative variants of DETC are no longer stimulated by PAM 212 cells, suggests that PAM 212 cells mediate their effects through the TCR CONCLUSION: The above results strongly suggest that DETC recognize specific, transformed and stressed keratinocyte-derived antigens and may play a role as an immune surveillant for cellular damage. Therfore, DETC may play critical roles during the induction of immune reaction in the skin.

A Case of Basaloid Follicular Hamartoma / 대한피부과학회지

Basaloid follicular hamartoma (BFH) is a benign adnexal tumor with a wide spectrum of clinical appearance and is characterized histologically by the presence of branching cords and thin strands of undifferentiated anasomosing, basaloid proliferations that are embedded in a fibrous stroma. It has been often misdiagnosed and treated as basal cell carcinoma. We report a 57-year-old woman with BFH on the face which is similar to basal cell carcinorna clinically that turned out to be a solitary BFH histologically. There has been no recurrence during one year of follow up after excisional biopsy.

A Clinical and Mycological Study of Superficial Fungal Diseases (VIII) / 대한의진균학회지

BACKGROUND: Superficial fungal infections are common diseases in the dermatologic conditions. The prevalence of superficial fungal diseases is not static but change under the influence of various factors such as climate, migration of people, and development in prophylaxis and therapy. OBJECTIVE: The authors performed this study to investigate the present status of superficial dermatophytoses and some changes on the frequency of the diseases, sex distributions and varieties of the causative organisms. METHODS: The clinical and mycological study of superficial fungal diseases on 2,115 patients who had visited Department of Dermatology, University Hospital and Yongsan Hospital, College of Medicine, Chung Ang University between July 1992 and June 1994 were performed. RESULTS: 1) The incidence of superficial fungal diseases to total number of outpatients(8,048) was 26.3%(2,115 cases). 2) Superficial fungal diseases showed high incidence in fourth (22.3%), third(22.2%), and fifth decade(17.9%). 3) The ratio of male to female was 2.3:1(1,478:637). Especially in patients with tinea(T.) cruris, which was the most prominent disease showing male predominance, the sex ratio was 15.9:1. 4) The monthly prevalences of superficial fungal diseases were high in July(16.5%), June(13.1%), and August(12.3%), respectively 5) The incidence of each type of superficial fungal disease was the highest in T. pedis(21.4%), followed by T. cruris(17.6%), candidiasis(17.6%), T. corporis(13.5%), T. unguium(13.3%), T. versicolor(9.6%), T. manus(5.1%), and T. capitis(1.9%). 6) There were coexisting fungal infections in 426 patients(20.1%), and the case of T. pedis with T. unguium was the most common. 7) The positive rate of KOH scraping was 57.4% and the positive rate of culture on ordinary Sabouraud's dextrose agar media was 48.6%. 8) The most common cultured organism was Trichophyton(T.) rubrum(39.1%), followed by Candida species(34.6%), T. mentagrophytes(23.0%), Microsporum canis(2.0%), Epidermophyton floccosum(1.2%), and T. ferrugineum(0.2%). CONCLUSION: These results are not significantly different from those of previous studies. But the incidence of the superficial fungal diseases(26.3%) was higher than previous studies and showed a high incidence in young male patients and in warm season. The positive rate of KOH scraping(7.4%) was lower than previous studies. The most common causative organism was T. rubrum.

A Clinical Study of Androgenetic Alopecia / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia is considered to be a genetically determined disorder influenced by age and androgen. The proportion of patients with androgenetic alopecia among the total number of patients with alpecia seems to be gradually increasing. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to determine the family history, clinical and endocrine status of the patients with androgenetic alopectia. METHODS: 387 patients with androgenetic alopecia who had visited the Department of Dermatology, Yongsan Hospital, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University during the last 4 years (1990.1-1993.12)were examined. RESULTS: 1) Annual incidence of androgenetic alopecia among the total number of alopecia patients averaged over 4 years was 38.95 having increased recently. 2) There were 286 male and 101 female patients being most prevalent in the 3rd decade in both sexes. 3) Patients younger than 30 years old, patients with premature androgenetic alopecia, made up 687.5% of the male patients and 56.4 of the female patients with androgenetic alopecia. 4) Of the 73 male patients Hamilton's type III was most common (46, 63.0%). 5) Of the 34 female patients Ludwig's type I was most common (21, 61.2%). 6) there was a family history of baldness in 39.4% of first degree relatives in male patients and 41.25 of first degree relatives in female patients. 7) Associated diseases were observed in 152 (53.1%) of the male patients and 63(62.4%) of the female patients : seborrheic dermatitis (36.7%/35.7%), acne vulgaris (5.2%/5.95), atopic dermatitis, thyroid diseases, pulmonary tuberculosis, depression, and gastrointestinal diseases. In female patients menstrual irregularity, hypertrichosis, and polycystic ovary disease were also observed. 8) Serum testosterone levels were increased in 24 (8.8%0 of male patients and in 17 (17.45) of female patients. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, the development of androgenetic alopecia is significantly related to the positive family history of baldness. Serum testosterone levels in most patients were within normal limit and were increased only in a small number of the patients with androgenetic alopecia. Therefore, it seems reasonable to suggest that the inhibitory effecfts of androgens on the dermal papilla cells may be mediated by an increased density and/or functional activity of androgen receptors or through an acceleration in the metabolic activity of androgen.

A Clinical Study of Herpes Zoster During the Last 10 Years / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster is characterized by vesicular skin lesions over the unilateral sensory dermatomes being caused by the reactivation of varicella-zoster virus and its incidence seems to be increasing recently. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the epidemiology and the clinical characteristics of herpes zoster. METHODS: The authors observed 877 cases of herpes zoster clinically for annual incidence, age, sex, monthly distribution, predilection site, associated disease, and complications at the Department of Dermatology in Chung-Ang University Hospital during a 10 years period(1982.9-1992.8). RESULTS: 1) The annual incidence averaged over 10 years was 2.26%(877 cases of total 38.717 outpatients) being on the increase recently. 2) The age distribution was in the range of 2-86 years old being most prevalent in the 6th decade and there was equal sex ratio(444:433). 3) There was no statistically significant monthly or seasonal variation in the incidence of herpes zoster. 4) The most common anatomical distribution was thoracic dermatome(51.7%), followed by trigeminal(17.1%), cervical(16.1%), lumbar (10.6%), sacral(1.4%)and multiple deramatomic involvement(3.1%). Left or right side was affected in about the same ratio(439:437), and bilateral involvement was in 1 case. 5) Associated disease of herpes zoster were observed in 210 patients(23.9%) ; hypertension(7.0%), diabetes mellitus(4.1%), tuberculosis(1.8%), postoperative status(0.7%), malignancy(0.7%), gastric ulcer(0.7%), and so on, 6) The most common complication of herpes zoster was postherpetic neuralgia(7.4%), followed by eye complication(2.1%), bacterial infection(1.4%), scar formation(0.7%), neurogenic bladder(0.2%), Ramsay-Hunt syndrome(0.2%), motor paralysis(0.1%), herpes zoster generalisatus(0.1%) 7) The incidence of postherpetic neuralgia increased with age and was highest in trigeminal dermatome. 8) Recurrence of herpes zoster was observed in 4 patients(0.5%). CONCLUSION: According to this study, the annual incidence of herpes zoster showed a tendency to increase recently but there was no significant monthly or seasonal variation. The anatomical distribution was most commom on the thoracic dermatome. The incidenc of postherpetic neuralgia increased with age being most common in trigeminal nerve.

Two Cases of neurofibromatosis showing Elephantiasis Neurofibromatosa in A Family / 대한피부과학회지

We reported two cases of elephantiasis neurofibromatosa in a family. The first case was the son of the second case. Both patients showed huge masses and bone changs. They were treated by surgical excision due to functional and cosmetic problems. The histopathologic findings of the two cases were consistent with neurofibroma.