Skin in maturity: the endocrine and neuroendocrine pathways.

Irrespective of age, most of the skin components are under the physiological control of endocrine and neuroendocrine factors. There is evidence that skin ageing appears complex showing much interindividual variability. Conceptually, ageing is a single biological process that is influenced and modulated by a series of various internal and exogenous factors. Among them, hormones and neuroendocrine signals play key roles in several ways. Ageing of most endocrine glands will in turn alter the skin biology. In addition, the age-related reduction in the intrinsic neuroendocrine activity of the skin will also alter the ageing rate of this organ. At last, various endocrinopathies will boost or conversely decrease the severity of the signs of cutaneous ageing.

[Bacterial sexually transmitted diseases]. / Maladies sexuellement transmissibles de nature bactérienne.

The sexually transmitted diseases (STD) correspond to bacterial, viral, mycotic and parasitic disorders. They are present worldwide. However, their incidences and prevalences are higher and their complications are more severe in the intertropical belt.

Keratosis punctata of the palmar creases.

We compared the prevalence of keratosis punctata of the palmar creases among populations living in Belgium, Togo, Peru and the United Arab Emirates. It appears that black Africans and Hindous (prevalence 1 to 2%) are more often affected than Latin Americans (prevalence less than 0.1%). The disease was not seen among Europeans and Arabs. Histologically, the lesions consist of a marked hyperkeratosis located at the site of acrosyringia. The disease should therefore be considered as a sweat gland disorder.

Extrapituitary neuroendocrine melanoderma. Unique association of extensive melanoderma with macromelanosomes and extrapituitary secretion of a high molecular weight neuropeptide related to pro-opiomelanocortin.

A patient developed an Addison-like melanoderma over the past decade. An abnormal neuropeptide related to, but bigger than pro-opiomelanocortin was found in large amount in the serum. It has most likely a stimulative action upon melanogenesis with formation of macromelanosomes.

[Anatomo-clinical presentation of graft-versus-host disease treated with cyclosporin A]. / Présentation anatomo-clinique de la maladie du greffon contre l'hôte traitée par cyclosporine A.

Evaluation of the clinical and histological signs of cutaneous graft-versus-host disease present in 7 patients treated with cyclosporin A was based on a follow-up of 100 days after bone marrow transplantation. Early clinical signs consisted of acral erythema with mild to moderate edema. Histologically, the graft-versus-host reaction was moderate but not completely inhibited. As revealed by autoradiography after labeling with tritiated thymidine and uridine, the lymphoid infiltrate had a low rate of proliferation and a normal or enhanced synthetic activity of ribonucleic acid.