Silica-Based Advanced Nanoparticles For Treating Ischemic Disease

Recently, various attempts have been made to apply diverse types of nanoparticles in biotechnology. Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) have been highlighted and studied for their selective accumulation in diseased parts, strong physical and chemical stability, and low cytotoxicity. SNPs, in particular, are very suitable for use in drug delivery and bioimaging, and have been sought as a treatment for ischemic diseases. In addition, mesoporous silica nanoparticles have been confirmed to efficiently deliver various types of drugs owing to their porous structure. Moreover, there have been innovative attempts to treat ischemic diseases using SNPs, which utilize the effects of Si ions on cells to improve cell viability, migration enhancement, and phenotype modulation. Recently, external stimulus-responsive treatments that control the movement of magnetic SNPs using external magnetic fields have been studied. This review addresses several original attempts to treat ischemic diseases using SNPs, including particle synthesis methods, and presents perspectives on future research directions.

Various Three-Dimensional Culture Methods and Cell Types for Exosome Production

Cell-based therapies have been used as promising treatments for several untreatable diseases. However, cellbased therapies have side effects such as tumorigenesis and immune responses. To overcome these side effects, therapeutic effects of exosomes have been researched as replacements for cell-based therapies. In addition, exosomes reduced the risk that can be induced by cell-based therapies. Exosomes contain biomolecules such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids that play an essential role in cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions during biological processes. Since the introduction of exosomes, those have been proven perpetually as one of the most effective and therapeutic methods for incurable diseases. Much research has been conducted to enhance the properties of exosomes, including immune regulation, tissue repair, and regeneration. However, yield rate of exosomes is the critical obstacle that should be overcome for practical cell-free therapy. Three-dimensional (3D) culture methods are introduced as a breakthrough to get higher production yields of exosomes. For example, hanging drop and microwell were well known 3D culture methods and easy to use without invasiveness. However, these methods have limitation in mass production of exosomes. Therefore, a scaffold, spinner flask, and fiber bioreactor were introduced for mass production of exosomes isolated from various cell types. Furthermore, exosomes treatments derived from 3D cultured cells showed enhanced cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and immunosuppressive properties. This review provides therapeutic applications of exosomes using 3D culture methods.

Leser-Trelat Sign Associated with Malignant Melanoma / 대한피부과학회지

Leser-Trelat sign is a rare paraneoplastic dermatosis that is characterized by the eruptive and rapid development of multiple seborrheic keratosis that coincides with an internal malignancy. Eruptive seborrheic keratosis can be pruritic and appear in a "Christmas-tree pattern." This sign occurs in association with a number of cancers, such as adenocarcinoma of the gastrointestinal tract and various lymphoproliferative disorders. However, Leser-Trelat sign associated with a malignant melanoma is very rare. A 58-year-old male patient presented with an asymptomatic black mass on the penile orifice and patch on the glans penis. He complained of gross hematuria. At the same time, he developed asymptomatic multiple brown papules and plaques on the back. The histopathologic findings of the glans and back lesions were consistent with malignant melanoma and seborrheic keratosis, respectively. Here, we describe a rare case of Leser-Trelat sign associated with malignant melanoma.

Clinical and Histopathological Analysis of Inflammatory Lesions on the Lips / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory labial lesions are quite common in dermatology. However, a few studies have been performed regarding the clinical and histopathological findings of inflammatory labial diseases. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical and histopathological features of inflammatory labial diseases. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 48 patients who underwent biopsy for inflammatory labial lesions between June 2005 and December 2012. Clinical features and histopathological findings of the lesions were investigated, and they were compared to each other for differential diagnosis. RESULTS: The most frequent inflammatory labial diseases were actinic cheilitis (25%), oral lichen planus (23%), plasma cell cheilitis (23%), oral lichenoid lesion (17%), and eczema (12%). Most of the labial lesions were located on the lower lip (87%). We found a broad overlap in the clinical features of lesions with each other, and in many cases, clinical impressions were inconsistent with their final diagnosis. Histopathologically, the degree of eosinophilic infiltrates in actinic cheilitis was comparable to those in eczema. Oral lichen planus showed orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis rather than parakeratosis, and oral lichenoid lesion displayed more frequent perivascular and deep inflammatory cell infiltrates than oral lichen planus. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of inflammatory labial diseases may be challenging, because inflammatory labial diseases often show similar clinical features and have a broad overlap in histological features. Therefore, clinico-pathologic correlation is necessary to confirm the diagnosis and for proper management.

A Study of the Causative Diseases for Eyelid Dermatitis / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: The eyelids are uniquely susceptible to inflammation. Although eyelid dermatitis is common by various causes, there are few comprehensive studies on this disease in the Korean literature. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the causative disease for eyelid dermatitis in Koreans. METHODS: Medical records of patients with eyelid dermatitis treated between 2006 and 2011 were reviewed. RESULTS: Four hundred and five patients (152 males and 303 females) were enrolled in this study, and the mean age of onset was 32.7 (range: 0~84). The most common causes of eyelid dermatitis were allergic contact dermatitis (42.6%), atopic dermatitis (27.9%), irritant contact dermatitis (12.7%), seborrheic dermatitis (8.6%), insect bite (2.4%), etc., in the order of frequency. In the 194 patients of eyelid dermatitis caused by allergic contact dermatitis, 98 patients (50.5%) were in the 30's to 50's, and 120 patients (94.5%) of the 127 patients with atopic dermatitis were under thirty years of age. The frequency of causative diseases for eyelid dermatitis in men were atopic dermatitis (44.7%), allergic contact dermatitis (23.7%) and irritant contact dermatitis (12.5%), and those in women were allergic contact dermatitis (52.1%), atopic dermatitis (19.5%) and irritant contact dermatitis (12.9%). There was a seasonal variation with frequency in fall (30.3%) and spring (26.4%). Among the 341 patients who were followed up, 294 patients (86.2%) showed good response to treatment, but 64 patients (21.8%) of the improved 294 patients relapsed. Four patients experienced adverse effects including irritation (3 cases) and folliculitis (1 case) after using topical glucocorticoids. CONCLUSION: The frequency of eyelid dermatitis decreased by age. Eyelid dermatitis was more common in women, but the ratio of males to females was increased compared with previous reports. The most common causes of eyelid dermatitis were allergic contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis, which were similar with the results of previous reports. Eyelid dermatitis was more common in fall and spring. The recurrence rate was relatively high, but adverse effects of topical corticosteroids were unusual. This study will be useful for clinicians when treating patients with eyelid dermatitis.

Cutaneous Wound Myiasis in a Missing Old Woman / 대한피부과학회지

No abstract available.

Therapeutic Effects of 308 nm Excimer Laser in the Treatment of Vitiligo Patients: A Single Center Study in Korea / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Treatment with a 308 nm excimer laser has been used widely for vitiligo. However, there have been few clinical reports about the therapeutic effects of excimer laser in the Korean literature. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of treatment of vitiligo patients in Korea using a 308 nm excimer laser. METHODS: Eighty-five patients were treated using a 308 nm excimer laser, which was performed twice a week, for a total of 20 treatments. We analyzed the grade of repigmentation with respect to various clinical parameters. RESULTS: Thirty-one of the 85 patients (36.5%) achieved more than 50% repigmentation. Response to treatment was related to age, duration of vitiligo, type of vitiligo and site of lesions (respectively, p=0.049, 0.030, 0.001, 0.001). There were no relationship between treatment response, sex and history of previous treatments (respectively, p=0.636, 0.781). Twenty-nine patients (34.1%) had side effects including erythema, perilesional hyperpigmentation and burn, but they were mild and transient. CONCLUSION: The use of a 308 nm excimer laser for the treatment of vitiligo patients is effective and safe. However, patient age, duration of vitiligo, type of vitiligo and site of lesions may be the key factors affecting the clinical outcome.

Cutaneous Crohn's Disease on the Groin / 대한피부과학회지

Crohn's disease is a systemic inflammatory and granulomatous disease, mainly involving the gastrointestinal tract with extraintestinal manifestations such as the skin, liver and bone. Cutaneous manifestations of Crohn's disease are relatively common; however, the groin is an unusual site for cutaneous Crohn's disease. A 36-year-old male presented with mild pruritic nodules on the left groin for 2 months. Nine years ago, he was diagnosed with intestinal Crohn's disease by endoscopic biopsy. Histopathologic examination of the cutaneous lesion showed non-caseating granulomatous reactions composed of multinucleated giant cells with lymphohistiocytic infiltration in the dermis. Staining for periodic acid-Schiff and acid-fast bacilli was negative. From these findings, we diagnosed these lesions as cutaneous Crohn's disease. The lesions were markedly improved with three rounds of intralesional steroid injection.

Infantile Erythema Annulare Centrifugum / 대한피부과학회지

Erythema annulare centrifugum is an inflammatory skin disorder of unknown etiology characterized by erythematous urticarial papules that enlarge in a centrifugal pattern to form annular appearance. These lesions are usually asymptomatic. Erythema annulare centrifugum generally tends to be a chronic condition. It develops most frequently in adults between 30 and 50 years of life, and only a few infantile cases have been reported in the English literature. Herein, we present an additional case of infantile erythema annulare centrifugum with a review of the literature.

Two Cases of Poikiloderma of Neck and Chest Treated by Intense Pulsed Light / 대한피부과학회지

Poikiloderma is a combination of telangiectasia, irregular mottled hyperpigmentation/depigmentation and superficial atrophy in a reticular pattern. Poikiloderma of Civatte is a rather common, acquired poikiloderma of the face and neck, most often affecting the middle-aged or the elderly. Poikiloderma of Civatte runs a chronic, benign, but irreversible course. The ideal treatment is elimination of both the vascular and pigmented components simultaneously. Most methods to treat this condition are ineffective, inefficient, or inconvenient and may cause significant side effects such as depigmentation and scarring. Recently, intense pulsed light sources have been used in poikiloderma of Civatte with their ability to target vascular and pigment components simultaneously. We experienced two cases of poikiloderma of Civatte treated by intense pulsed light with different parameters than those used in former reports, so we report this case with a review of previously published cases.