ABSTRACT
Pseudocyst of the auricle is a relatively uncommon condition in which serous fluid accumulates between intracartilaginous space of the ear and manifests as a painless, fluctuant outer ear swelling. Pseudocysts of the auricle have been reported in healthy individuals without clear precipitating or causative factors, with little information on this entity in patients with atopic dermatitis. Here, we describe a case of recurrent pseudocysts of the auricle in a young adult with active facial and ear atopic dermatitis. We also present a specific review of the literature on this condition in patients with atopic dermatitis and discuss a possible association between the two conditions.
Subject(s)
Cysts/complications , Dermatitis, Atopic/complications , Ear Diseases/complications , Adult , Biopsy, Fine-Needle , Cysts/pathology , Ear, External , Face , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
DNA methylation is known to play an important role in gene transcription and alterations of methylation that contribute to the development of certain disorders such as cancer, immunodeficiency, and autoimmune diseases. We investigated the DNA methylation profiles in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT-1) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were examined using a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. The levels of DNMT-1 mRNA were significantly lower in PBMC from the AD patients who had higher serum IgE levels compared with normal controls. Our observations suggest that suppression of DNMT-1 might be related to the pathogenesis of AD, especially in whom serum IgE level is high. This is the first report of DNMT-1 expression in AD patients.
