ABSTRACT
Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) acts via pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), an antiangiogenic protein, to regulate retinal pigment epithelium migration. PEDF expression and/or regulation during melanoma development have not been investigated previously. Using immunohistochemistry, we determined expression of PEDF in common and dysplastic melanocytic nevi, melanoma in situ, invasive melanoma, and metastatic melanoma (n = 102). PEDF expression was consistently decreased in invasive and metastatic melanoma, compared with nevi and melanoma in situ (P < 0.0001). PEDF was lost in thicker melanomas (P = 0.003), and correlated with depth of invasion (P = 0.003) and distant metastasis (P = 0.0331), but only marginally with mitotic index, AJCC stage, nodal metastasis, or blood vascular density (0.05 < P < 0.10). Quantitative real-time PCR and microarray analyses confirmed PEDF down-regulation at the mRNA level in several melanoma lines, compared with melanocytes. MITF positively correlated with PEDF expression in invasive melanomas (P = 0.0003). Searching for PEDF regulatory mechanisms revealed two occupied conserved E-boxes (DNA recognition elements) in the first intron of the human and mouse PEDF promoter regions, confirmed by binding assays. Dominant-negative and siRNA approaches in vivo demonstrated direct transcriptional influence of MITF on PEDF, establishing the PEDF gene (SERPINF1) as a MITF target in melanocytes and melanoma cells. These findings suggest that loss of PEDF expression promotes early invasive melanoma growth.
Subject(s)
Eye Proteins/metabolism , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Melanoma/metabolism , Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor/metabolism , Nerve Growth Factors/metabolism , Serpins/metabolism , Skin Neoplasms/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Animals , Base Sequence , Cell Line, Tumor , Female , Gene Silencing , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Melanocytes , Mice , Microscopy, Fluorescence , Middle Aged , Molecular Sequence Data , Neoplasm Invasiveness , Neoplasm Metastasis , Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis , Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism , Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cutaneous manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease are relatively common, although they vary widely. AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of cutaneous manifestations in inflammatory bowel disease according to their location, age, gender, activity, and type of underlying disease in an Iranian population during a 10-year period. METHODS: The medical records of 404 inpatients with inflammatory bowel disease were extracted retrospectively to detect cutaneous manifestations. RESULTS: In this study, the prevalence of cutaneous manifestations was 5.9%. These manifestations were higher in Crohn's disease (7.29%) than in ulcerative colitis (4.07%), and more frequent in females (52%) than in males (48%). Aphthous stomatitis was observed more frequently in Crohn's disease; however, pyoderma gangrenosum was seen more often in ulcerative colitis. Erythema nodosum was diagnosed only in female patients with Crohn's disease. Manifestations secondary to nutritional deficiency or associated conditions including psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders were less frequent. CONCLUSIONS: Aphthous stomatitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and erythema nodosum were the most common skin disorders related to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which mainly occurred in women.
Subject(s)
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/complications , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/epidemiology , Skin Diseases/complications , Skin Diseases/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Female , Humans , Iran/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Pyoderma Gangrenosum/complications , Pyoderma Gangrenosum/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There are controversial reports about the role of Demodex mites in pathogenesis of acne rosacea. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the presence and number of Demodex mites and the pathogenesis of rosacea. METHODS: In this case-control study, the prevalence of Demodex mites was studied in facial biopsy of 75 patients with acne rosacea as case group, and in 75 patients with discoid lupus erythematosus and 75 patients with actinic lichen planus as control groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of Demodex mites in patients with acne rosacea (38.6%) was significantly higher than the patients with discoid lupus erythematosus (21.3%) and actinic lichen planus patients (10.6%) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Demodex mites may play a role in pathogenesis of rosacea but it is not clear whether rosacea merely provides a suitable environment for multiplication of mites, or whether the mites play a role in the pathological changes.
Subject(s)
Mite Infestations/epidemiology , Rosacea/epidemiology , Rosacea/parasitology , Adult , Aged , Case-Control Studies , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Unwanted hairs are a common problem in which different light sources were developed as the treatment of choice. Alexandrite laser, diode laser, and intense pulsed light (IPL) were clinically used for this purpose with long-term scarce comparative results. The objective of the study was to compare the clinical efficacy, complications, and long-term hair reduction of alexandrite laser, diode laser, and IPL. Clinical trials on 232 persons using diode, alexandrite, laser and IPL were conducted. The number of sessions to reach optimal result varied between 3 and 7. Then the side effects were evaluated. Six months after the last session, optimal hair reduction was observed with no significant differences between the light sources, but a hair reduction was found to be higher using the diode laser. Side effects were observed with all light sources but more frequently with diode. Our findings indicate that all three light sources tested have similar effects on hair removal and in Iranian patients, using lower wavelengths minimizes the side effects.
