Rolipram inhibits staphylococcal enterotoxin B-mediated induction of the human skin-homing receptor on T lymphocytes.

The cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen defines T lymphocytes with cutaneous tropism under inflammatory conditions. Bacterial infections participate in cutaneous inflammations, such as atopic dermatitis or psoriasis. Bacterial superantigens, such as staphylococcal enterotoxin B, can activate peripheral blood mononuclear cells to induce effector T cells bearing the T cell skin homing receptor cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen via enhancement of interleukin-12 production. We have identified and characterized the anti-inflammatory effects of different phosphodiesterase inhibitors on this system. Our data indicate that the selective type 4 phosphodiesterase inhibitor rolipram inhibits the Staphylococcal enterotoxin B-mediated generation of cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen positive CD3+ cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by reducing interleukin-12 production in a concentration-dependent manner. Conversely, type 3 phosphodiesterase or type 5 phosphodiesterase selective inhibitors were not effective. The rolipram inhibitory effect was on interleukin-12 production, as exogenously added interleukin-12 could revert rolipram suppression. These results suggest that selective type 4 phosphodiesterase inhibition may have beneficial effects on T cell mediated skin inflammatory processes characterized by the presence of bacterial infections, that are thought to exacerbate ongoing skin inflammation.

Contact dermatitis: clinical review of 800 patients tested using the standard European series.

The results of the use of the European Standard Series on 800 patients suffering from Contact Dermatitis, including occupational Dermatosis is reported. This work also attempts to provide insight into the interests and difficulties of carrying out an epidemiological study in an Allergy Centre and Immunology Clinic. All the patients underwent a Patch Test following the guidelines laid out by the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group. The results of the patch tests were positive in 462 patients (57.7%) and negative in 338 cases (42.3%). The agents responsible for the symptoms in our study were as follows: metals (33%), parafenilen-diamine (13.9%), cobalt (13.3%), perfumes (5.5%), benzocaine (5.4%) and potassium dichromate (5.4%). In this study 72 patients were verified to have Occupational Dermatosis, corresponding mainly to the following occupational sectors: metal industry workers, hairdressers and bakers and pastry makers.

[Bacteremia of cutaneous origin]. / Bacteriemia de origen cutáneo.

558 episodes of bacteremia were detected in our medical center during a 2-year period. 17 of them (3%) were of cutaneous origin. 12 cases were community-acquired and 5 were hospital-acquired. The patients median age was of 65 years. 15 patients had a baseline disease, the most frequent being diabetes mellitus and neoplastic disease. The most common bacteria isolated were group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli; 2 patients had multibacterial episodes. Decubitus ulcer and cellulitis were the most frequently associated skin disease. Global mortality was of 47% and was sepsis related in 29% of the cases. Death prognosis factors were old age, diabetes mellitus, gram-negative causal bacteria, nonappropriate antibiotic therapy, low index of clinical suspicion.

[Allergenicity degree and sensitization percentage of minoxidil in experimental animals]. / Demostración del grado de alergenicidad y porcentaje de sensibilización del minoxidil en animales de experimentación.

The maximization test of Magnusson Kligman was performed in 25 Hartley guinea pigs with minoxidil. The results concluded that minoxidil has a very low capacity of sensitization. This results confirmed in the animal test, the low incidence of contact dermatitis, among the customers using minoxidil topical solutions.

[Urticaria. Generalities]. / Urticaria. Generalidades.

This is an update article in urticaria. Its content try to summarize in few words all the practical knowledge that we have of these diseases "up to now". An exhaustive reference of the bibliography is avoided although the revision has been done indeed. We feel that if such is necessary in some papers, do difficult the reading in others like this, exclusively conceived for teaching.

[The quenching phenomenon or antigenic extinction]. / El fenómeno de quenching o extinción antigénica.

The new concept of "quenching" is exposed for its diffusion and Knowledge. This phenomenon occurs in nature, industry and in clinic dermatology. Doctors working in contact dermatitis suffer contradictions and paradoxic reactions due to "quenching situations". Most important bibliography on this theme is commented.

[Dermatitis caused by ethylene oxide]. / Dermatitis por óxido de etileno.

A patient with a suspected allergic contact dermatitis produced by ethylene oxide (EO), is described. Epicutaneous tests in the patient and in controls with materials treated with ethylene oxide, and ethylene chlorhydrin supported the allergic mechanism. Chromatography studies of different hospital samples sterilized with EO showed strong evidence of abnormal amounts of irritant substances.

The use of levamisole in atopic dermatitis: a prospective study.

Levamisole hydrochloride, a nonspecific immunostimulant, was given to 30 children with atopic dermatitis (AD) in a double-blind manner during an eight-month period. Clinical course findings, including intradermal reactions to tuberculin, candidin, and streptokinase-streptodernase; sensitization to dinitrochlorobenzene; periphal blood T- and B-lymphocytes; in vitro lymphocyte transformation with phytohemagglutinin; and serum levels of IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgE, were noted every two months. Fifteen children completed the study. Neither the clinical course nor the immunologic values showed substantial differences between the levamisole-treated and the placebo group. Our experience with levamisole in AD is disappointing.

[Idiopathic calcinosis of the skin]. / Calcinósis cutis idiopática

Biochemical, radiologic and enzymatic studies are carried out in a case of idiopatic calcinosis cutis. The diagnosis has been obtained by exclusion of the other forms of calcinosis cutis. Therefore we believe that the disease may evolue in the future to a sistemic disease probably "collagen disease". However, today there is no evidence for this.

[Chronic urticaria. Provocation test]. / Urticaria crónica. Test de provocación

Sixty patients of ages ranging from 11 to 64, with chronic urticaria from 2 months to 50 years duration, were studied with the provocation test. We found responses in 33.3% of patients. Tartrazine was the most common inducer, specially in those patients sensitive to aspirin with increased salicilate blood levels. As we did not use aspirin as inducer the results with tartrazine are more relevant and can be used to detect a positive response to aspirin. The relation between tartrazine and aspirin was not observed in patients with pressure or cholinergic urticaria. The provocation test is most useful in patients with chronic urticaria of unknown cause. 4 hydroxybenzoic acid and sodium acid and sodium benzoate were the more common inducers in the latter patients. We feel that the provocation test is a useful tool to study patients with chronic urticaria. Tartrazine, 4 hydroxybenzoic acid, sodium benzoate, tiramin and penicilin are included in the test. The responders should eliminate the offender from their diet.

Lymphocyte transformation test in fixed drug eruption.

Twenty-one patients with fixed drug eruption were studied with the lymphocyte transformation test. In no patient was there blast transformation when the responsible drug (1:10,000 dilution) was added to the lymphocyte culture. The addition to the lymphocyte culture of 0.4 ml of autologous serum, taken at the acme of the clinical reaction, produced blast transformation of the lymphocytes, and when the responsible drug (1:10,000 dilution) was added to this system, blast transformation increased by several times. The addition of the responsible drug to autologous serum obtained during clinical remission produced a minimal or negative response. These findings suggest that during fixed drug eruptions a blast transforming factor appears temporarily in the serum and increases its activity in the presence of the responsible drug. This factor spontaneously diminishes or disappears a few days after clinical exacerbation.

[Chronic urticaria and serum iron]. / Urticaria crónica y sideremia

During the year 1974, 111 patients with urticaria were studied in the Department of Dermatology, of the Saint Paul's Hospital (Autonomous University of Barcelona). Among those, 77 had chronic urticaria, of which 22 a had low blood iron values. After iron treatment the urticaria improved or was cured in some of these patients. The remaining cases in which the cause of their hives was unknown were followed for one year. Some systemic causatives for their urticaria may appear on longer follow-up. At the same time, blood levels of salicylates trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin were checked in 14 patients, with the object of a possible relationship concerning the persistence of the urticaria.

Lymphocyte transformation test in allergic contact nickel dermatitis.

Twenty-five patients with clinically proven, patch test positive nickel dermatitis were studied with the lymphocyte transformation test (LTT). Serial dilutions of NiSO4 were present in the lymphocyte culture. None of the controls showed lymphocyte blast transformation. In fourteen patients maximal incorporation of thymidine occurred at the highest dilutions (I:50,000-I:100,000). In eleven patients the highest incorporation occurred at the lower dilutions. The nature of the antigen responsible for the specific reaction remains unknown.