Knockdown of Moesin Expression Accelerates Cellular Senescence of Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cells

PURPOSE: Endothelial cells maintain the homeostasis of blood, which consists of plasma and cellular components, and regulate the interaction between blood and the surrounding tissues. They also have essential roles in vascular permeability, the circulation, coagulation, inflammation, wound healing, and tissue growth. The senescence of endothelial cells is closely related to the aging of the adjacent tissues and to age-related vascular disease. Recently, the expression of moesin was found to be decreased in elderly human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs), and an association between moesin and senescence has been suggested. This study examined the functional role of moesin in cellular senescence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To study the effects of decreased moesin expression on cellular senescence and metabolism, HDMECs were transfected with short hairpin-RNA (shRNA) lentivirus to silence moesin gene expression. In addition, specimens from young and old human skin were stained with anti-moesin and anti-p16 antibodies as an in vivo study. RESULTS: Using shRNAl-entivirus, moesin knock-down HDMECs developed characteristics associated with aging and expressed senescence associated-beta-galactosidase during early passages. They also showed increased p16 expression, decreased metabolic activity, and cell growth retardation. Human skin tissue from elderly persons showed decreased moesin expression and increased p16 expression. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that there is a functional association between moesin expression and cellular senescence. Further study of the functional mechanism of moesin in the cytoskeleton and cellular senescence is needed. In addition, this study provides a useful model for developing anti-aging treatments.

A Case of Mycobacterium fortuitum Infection at the Site of Acupuncture / 대한피부과학회지

Mycobacterial infections that are transmitted by acupuncture are an emerging problem. M. fortuitum is one of the rapid-growing atypical mycobacteria and this infection usually follows a puncture wound or a surgical procedure. We report here on a case of M. fortuitum infection following an acupuncture procedure. A 37-year-old woman presented with indurations and ulcerations of both popliteal fossae after undergoing acupuncture. The skin biopsy specimen showed suppurative inflammation with a lymphocytic infiltration, and the Ziehl-Neelsen stain for AFB was negative. Bacterial culture of the tissue fluid was negative. The culture of the tissue specimen and polymerase chain reaction revealed M. fortuitum. The infection responded to 10 weeks of treatment with isoniazid, rifampin and ethambutol, and four months of treatment with rifampin. Despite of the increasing popularity of acupuncture, the importance of infection control has not been adequately emphasized in oriental medicine. Education for proper infection control, including aseptic practice, is necessary for oriental medical doctors and practitioners.

A Case of Bart's Syndrome / 대한피부과학회지

Aplasia cutis congenita is a rare congenital skin defect that presents with sharply outlined ulcerations. The most common site of this disease is the scalp, yet when other areas of the body are involved, there is higher incidence of concomitant congenital diseases or malformations. Bart's syndrome is a rare inherited condition with congenital skin defects that are associated with epidermolysis bullosa. An infant presented with congenital skin defects on the leg, and the infant had recurrent bullous skin lesions on the both hands, feet, wrists and ankles. The skin defect caused only small scar formation and no handicap regarding function and appearance, yet continuously new bullous lesion developed and healed on the both distal extremities. He was diagnosed as suffering with epidermolysis bullosa with the histological findings of epidermal cleavage and negative direct immunofluorescence findings. Herein, we report on a case of Bart's syndrome that displayed aplasia cutis congenita over the lower extremities and skin blistering.

A Case of Eccrine Angiomatous Hamartoma with Unusual Lipomatous Involvement / 대한피부과학회지

Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma (EAH) is a benign, uncommon cutaneous lesion, often localized to the distal extremities of children. It usually presents as a solitary, asymptomatic lesion that appears as a nodule or plaque, but sometimes it can occur as multiple lesions. Varying degrees of hyperhidrosis and pain have been reported. The histological feature is characterized by a proliferation of eccrine sweat glands and angiomatous channels. Occasionally, other elements are involved, such as mucin-secreting cells, adipose tissue, bony structures, apocrine glands or hair structures. We describe a case of eccrine angiomatous hamartoma with unusual lipomatous involvement.

Two Cases of Acute Leukopenia Induced by Colchicine with Concurrent Immunosuppressants Use in Behcet's Disease

Colchicine-induced leukopenia usually occurrs in intentional or accidental overdoses or inappropriate use in combination with intravenous and oral colchine; however, there have been several reports of hematologic toxicity in short-term and small-dose colchicine medication courses. We present two cases of leukopenia induced by colchicine use concurrent with immunosuppressants in Behcet's disease. We postulate that the mechanism of colchicine-induced leukopenia might be the destruction of circulating leukocytes and an inhibition of leukocyte production by the immediate and direct toxic effect of colchicine on idiosyncrasies unique to each patient. The concurrently administered immunosuppressant might decrease the threshold for hematologic toxicity of colchicine in the leukocytes and their precursor cells.

Two Cases of Primary Cutaneous Marginal Zone B-cell Lymphoma / 대한피부과학회지

Primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma, known as the cutaneous counterpart of mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue lymphoma (MALT lymphoma), is the most frequent of the primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. It is one of the low-grade lymphomas of B-cell type, which has an excellent prognosis with indolent behavior, despite frequent cutaneous recurrences. Histologically, cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma is composed of polymorphous infiltrate that includes centrocyte-like, centroblast-like, monocytoid, and lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes. We present two cases of primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. A 48-year-old woman visited the dermatologic clinic with 1.5x1.5 cm sized, skin colored, palpable nodule on the left temporal area and a 26-year-old man visited the dermatologic clinic with 1x1 cm sized erythematous nodule on the nose. Both of them showed compatible histologic findings of marginal zone B-cell lymphoma and had no past medical history and no evidence of metastasis on PET-CT and bone marrow biopsy. The woman was treated with radiation treatment after excision and the man was treated with radiation treatment alone. Follow-up indicates that 1 year after treatment there is no evidence of recurrence.

A Case of Fibrous Hamartoma of Infancy in an Adult / 대한피부과학회지

Very rare and unique tumors of infants, fibrous hamartomas were first described by Reye in 1956 as a subdermal fibromatous tumor of infancy. The tumors can occur at birth and are usually diagnosed within the first 2 years of life. The oldest patient reported in the literature was an 11-year-old child. The common sites of involvement are the axillae, upper arms, and upper trunk. Although the lesion is not distinctive clinically, it has a characteristic microscopic appearance of fibrous tissue forming trabeculae, small, round cells that represent primitive mesenchyme, and mature adipose tissue. Herein, we report a case of fibrous hamartoma of infancy in a 26-year-old man, on the uncommon site of a lower extremity.

A Case of Papular Xanthoma Developed in an Adult / 대한피부과학회지

Papular xanthoma is a normolipemic xanthomatosis, characterized by nonconfluent papular to papulonodular eruptions on the face, trunk, extremities and occasionally mucous membranes. Histologically, there was an infiltration of foamy histiocytes and Touton type giant cells in the dermis without inflammatory cells or a pure histiocytic component. But, occasional lymphocytes were interspersed between the foamy macrophage. No systemic involvement could be found and the blood lipid profiles were normal. We report a case of papular xanthoma in a 30-year-old man with typical clinical, histopathologic findings.

A Case of Histiocytoid Sweet's Syndrome with Myelodysplastic Syndrome / 대한피부과학회지

Sweet's syndrome is an acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis that occurs with malignant disease, mainly myeloid hemopathies, in about 20% of cases. When associated with myelodysplasia, clinical and histologic features of Sweet's syndrome can be atypical; however its significance is still debated. We encountered a case of Sweet's syndrome associated with myelodysplastic syndrome in a 63-year-old woman. The clinical presentation strongly suggested Sweet's syndrome but, histopathologic examination showed dense histiocytic infiltration with prominent upper dermal edema and little neutrophil infiltration. In the evaluation for atypical histopathology and laboratory abnormalities, she was diagnosed with myleodysplastic syndrome by peripheral blood smear and bone marrow biopsy. Histiocytoid Sweet's syndrome is a currently accepted concept and probably has a close relation with underlying myeloid hemopathies.

A Case of a Follicular Hybrid Cyst

Various cutaneous cysts such as epidermal cysts, trichilemmal cysts, vellus hair cysts, steatocystoma, or pilomatricoma can arise from a different part of the pilosebaceous unit, namely the infundibulum, isthmus, sebaceous ducts, and bulbar or inferior portion. Rarely, a hybrid cyst that includes two or more components of a cystic lesion arising from the pilosebaceous unit can develop. The pathogenesis of this unusual disease is not yet known. We report a case of a follicular hybrid cyst which showed combined histologic features of both an epidermal cyst and pilomatricoma, and discuss the possible pathomechanism of the development of this hybrid cyst with a review of the literature.

A Case of Milia en Plaque Treated with Modified Rhomboid Transposition Flap / 대한피부과학회지

Milia en plaque is an unusual and rare variant of milia which is characterized by numerous tiny milia on an erythematous base that arise spontaneously on the retroauricular area. We report a case of milia en plaque of 41-year-old Korean man who presented with numerous milia on the erythematous plaque of the retroauricular area. Histopathologic examination showed multiple cystic features with lamellar keratinized material in the cysts and mild pericystic inflammation. The skin lesion was totally excised and closed with a modified rhomboid transposition flap. We discuss about the treatment of milia en plaque in the review of literature.

Microcystic Adnexal Carcinoma Treated by Mohs' Micrographic Surgery / 대한피부과학회지

Microcystic adnexal carcinoma (MAC) is an uncommon skin appendage neoplasm with both follicular and sweat duct differentiation. It usually extends microscopically far beyond assessed clinical margins and spreads locally in the dermal, subcutaneous fat, muscle, and perineural tissue planes. Although its metastasis is very rare, local recurrence rate after standard excision is 40~59%. Recently, Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) was introduced for the treatment of MAC and a more favorable cure rate has been reported. We report a case of MAC, which was treated by MMS, which concurred with thymoma and thyroid papillary carcinoma in a 50-year-old woman.

A Case of Disseminated Superficial Porokeratosis with Dermal Amyloid Deposition / 대한피부과학회지

Secondary localized cutaneous amyloidosis appears in association with a variety of inflammatory skin diseases and skin tumors. The presence of dermal amyloid deposits in lesions of porokeratosis has rarely been described in the literature. We describe a Korean case of disseminated superficial porokeratosis, with clear histologic evidence of amyloid deposition in the upper dermis.

A Case of Syringoid Eccrine Carcinoma Successfully Treated with Mohs Micrographic Surgery / 대한피부과학회지

Syringoid eccrine carcinoma is a rare adnexal tumor of eccrine origin, and has metastatic potential and high recurrence rate following conventional surgical excision. Mohs micrographic surgery has been commonly used for various malignant skin cancers to minimize the defect after surgery, and to decrease the recurrence rate. We present a case of syringoid eccrine carcinoma successfully treated by Mohs micrographic surgery.