Regression of CD8+ pseudolymphoma after HIV antiviral triple therapy.

To our knowledge, we report the first case of improvement of HIV-associated cutaneous CD8(+) pseudolymphoma with highly active antiretroviral therapy. This favors the hypothesis of a reactive cutaneous infiltration by HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells in this disease.

From the antigen-presenting cell to the antigen-presenting vesicle: the exosomes.

Exosomes are membrane vesicles of 30 to 100 nm in diameter, of endocytic origin, and are produced and secreted in vitro by living cells of diverse origin. In vivo and in vitro experiments suggest, from their particular proteomic composition, that exosomes are involved in the transfer of tumor antigens to antigen presenting cells, and in the stimulation of a specific immune response. In this review, we provide a molecular characterization of exosomes. The hypotheses accounting for exosome biogenesis will be outlined. Finally, we will describe their bioactivities and discuss their potential relevance and clinical implementation for cancer immunotherapy.

Report of a case of Schnitzler's syndrome treated successfully with interferon alpha 2b.

Schnitzler's syndrome (SS) is characterized by the association of generalized chronic urticaria, osteocondensation and monoclonal IgM gammopathy. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and systemic steroids are the most promising treatments. In our patient, they were ineffective. By contrast, during the follow-up period of 18 months, interferon alpha(2b) therapy (IFN-alpha) relieved the patient from its urticarial lesions and bone pain. IFN-alpha was tried to be stopped twice: each time, relapse of urticaria was noticed and, each time, the cutaneous lesions disappeared after IFN-alpha had been reintroduced. Furthermore, our observation supports the idea of the interleukin (IL)-1-mediated pathogenesis of SS as IFN-alpha induces high levels of IL-1 receptor antagonists. IFN-alpha could be an alternative treatment in disabling SS resisting other drugs.