Combinational effect of low-dose oral corticosteroid and mizoribine for ulcerative colitis in a patient with systemic sclerosis.

The combinational effect of oral corticosteroid and mizoribine for ulcerative colitis is presented in a patient with systemic sclerosis (SSc). A 64-year-old woman came to our clinic complaining of a 30-year history of Raynaud's phenomenon. She had past history of ulcerative colitis with the continued medication of mesalazine without success. She was presented with sclerodactyly and finger joint swelling. She also showed epigastric discomfort. Laboratory study showed positive anti-nuclear antibody and positive anti-centromere antibody. Histological examination showed mild perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrates in the whole dermis and increased deposition of collagen fibers in the middle and lower dermis. Chest X-ray film showed mild bibasilar pulmonary fibrosis. An upper gastrointestinal series study showed reflux esophagitis and atrophic gastritis. These findings led to the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (limited type) complicated with ulcerative colitis. Treatment with oral corticosteroid (5 mg/day) and mizoribine (150 mg/day) in the morning was started. She showed remarkable improvement for sclerodactyly and lower intestinal bleeding stopped after 6 months. She is under the same treatment without exaggeration and adverse effect of the drug until now.

Collagen fibrils of an invertebrate (Sepia officinalis) are heterotypic: immunocytochemical demonstration.

Collagen fibrils from the dermis of Sepia officinalis were processed for immunoelectron microscopy to reveal reactions to antibodies against mammalian types I, III, and V, teleost type I and cephalopod type I-like collagens, by single and double immunogold localization. The fibrils were observed: (a) in suspensions of prepared fibrils, (b) in ultrathin sections of embedded fibril preparations, and (c) in ultrathin sections of dermal tissue. Some samples were subjected to acetic acid or urea dissociation. It was found that collagen fibrils from Sepia dermis are heterotypic in that they are composed of type I-like and type V collagens. Type I-like collagen epitopes were present mainly at the periphery of the fibrils; type V collagen epitopes were present throughout the fibrils. This is the first demonstration that collagen fibrils from an invertebrate are heterotypic, suggesting that heterotypy may be an intrinsic characteristic of the fibrils of fibrillar collagens, independent of evolutionary or taxonomic status.

Repeated allergen exposure changes collagen composition in airways of sensitised Brown Norway rats.

Increased or altered collagen deposition in the airway wall is one of the characteristics of airway remodelling in asthma. The mechanisms underlying this increase, and its functional consequences remain to be established further. Representative in vivo animal models might be useful in this respect. In the present study, collagen deposition after prolonged allergen exposure was characterised in the airway wall of Brown Norway rats. Sensitised rats were repeatedly exposed to ovalbumin (OA) or phosphate-buffered saline during 2 and 12 weeks. The deposition of collagen type I, III, IV, V and VI was not altered in animals exposed to OA for 2 weeks. After 12 weeks of OA exposure, more collagen type I was deposited in the inner and outer airway wall and more type V and VI collagen was observed in the outer airway wall. At 12 weeks the number of vessels, identified via type IV collagen staining was not increased, but the total vessel area was. In conclusion, prolonged allergen exposure in sensitised rats is associated with enhanced deposition of type I, V and VI collagens and increased vascularity. This suggests that some aspects of airway remodelling in asthma could be driven by long-term allergen exposure.