Nerve growth factor, neuropeptides and cutaneous nerves in atopic dermatitis

Neurogenic components, as neurotrophic factors and neuropeptides, are probably involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis [AD] with the neuroimmunocutaneous system as they modify the functions of immunoactive cells in the skin. Nerve growth factor [NGF] is the best-characterized member of the neurotrophin family. Both NGF and neuropepties may be associated with the disease pathogenesis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the plasma level of NGF and NPs in AD patients and to correlate them with the disease activity and with the nerve changes in the skin by electron microscopy. Plasma levels of NGF and vasoactive intestinal peptide [+VIP] were measured by an immunoenzymatic assay while plasma levels of calcitonine gene related peptide [CGRP] and neuropeptide Y [NPY] were measured by radioimmunoassay in 30 AD patients in comparison to 10 normal non-atopic controls. Electron microscopic study was done in 10 AD patients. It has been found that there is significant increase of plasma levels of NGF and NPs in AD patients compared with controls. There is a positive correlation between the plasma levels of NGF and disease activity [correlation coefficient=0.750, P<0.005]. There is a significant correlation of the number of Schwann axon complex, evidenced by electron microscopic examination and plasma level of NGF in AD patients. Neurogenic factors; NGF and NPs modulate the allergic response in AD, probably through interactions with cells of the immune-inflammatory component. NGF might be considered as a marker of the disease activity

Immunohistochemical nuclear staining for P53, PCNA, and Ki-67 in different histologic varients of basal cell carcinoma

Structural alternation of P53 gene is a common genetic change associated with basal cell carcinoma [BCC]. Proliferation antigens are expressed in the nuclei of cell during specific stages of the cell cycle including proliferating cell nuclear antigen [PCNA] and Ki-67. Studies have suggested that PCNA and Ki-67 are useful diagnostic tools to differentiate benign from malignant neoplasm and useful prognostic markers in malignant neoplasms. The aim of this work is to detect the expression of P53, PCNA, and Ki-67 in different histologic variants of BCCs, to study the probability of using such markers as diagnostic and prognostic tools. Thirty patients with different histologic variants of BCCs were diagnosed histopathologically. Seven skin biopsies were taken as controls. Immnunohistochemical staining for P53, PCNA, and Ki-67 detection. There is variable degree of positivity of P53, PCNA, and Ki-67 with different histologic variants of BCCs. There is high significant relation between percentage of their positive cells and both aggressiveness and recurrence of BCCs. There is positive relation between P53 and PCNA expression. PCNA expression is greater than Ki-67 in all studied variants except for the superficial variants, which were negative for P53 expression. Both the tumor suppressor gene P53 and the proliferation markers; PCNA and Ki-67 are expressed in BCCs. They are reliable prognostic markers for aggressive behavior of BCCs. They are valuable tool in prediction of possible recurrence. Their staining appeared to be superior to traditional histologic features in predicting clinical recurrence in primary BCC's and further prospective studies in a larger patient group are warranted