Both Th1 and Th2 chemokines are elevated in sera of patients with autoimmune blistering diseases

Although chemokines are critical elements for the selective attraction and activation of various leukocyte subsets in the inflammatory process, there are few findings concerning T helper (Th) 1 or Th2 chemokines in autoimmune blistering disease (ABD). To determine whether serum levels of chemokines that are preferentially chemotactic for Th1 (monokine induced by IFN-γ (MIG/CXCL9)) and Th2 (thymus and activation regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) and macrophage derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22)) cells were elevated and whether they correlated with the clinical features in patients with ABD. Serum chemokine levels were examined using ELISA in patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV, n=19), pemphigus foliaceous (PF, n=14), or bullous pemphigoid (BP, n=27) and normal controls (n=20). Serum MIG levels were significantly higher in patients with PV, PF, or BP than those in the control subjects. Serum levels of TARC and MDC were also significantly elevated in patients with PV, PF, or BP relative to the normal controls. Among the ABD subgroups, the levels of each chemokine tended to be higher in BP patients than in PV patients. Furthermore, serum TARC levels correlated positively with serum IgE levels in patients with ABD. Levels of TARC, MDC, and MIG were significantly decreased after treatment when the skin lesions disappeared in these patients. Furthermore, serum MIG levels correlated positively with serum levels of TARC and MDC in the ABD patients. These results suggest that both a Th1 chemoattractant MIG and Th2 chemoattractants, TARC and MDC, cooperatively play a role in the development of ABD.     

静脉注射与口服MTX治疗银屑病临床疗效观察

目的评价MTX治疗银屑病的两种给药方案的疗效和安全性。方法将68例银屑病患者随机分为两组。口服组:MTX片2.5~5.0 mg口服,12 h 1次,1周内连续3次。注射组:MTX注射液7.5~15.0 mg静滴,每周1次。两组疗程均为4周。结果口服组与注射组的有效率分别为87.1%和81.1%,有效率比较差异无显著性(P>0.05)。两种方法治疗前后PASI评分差异无显著性。且口服组较注射组不良反应发生率低。结论MTX治疗银屑病的两种给药方案均有确切疗效,但口服给药副作用更少。     

盘状红斑狼疮继发上唇疣状癌合并双手寻常疣1例

患者男,50岁。面部红斑10年,上唇及双手背疣状肿块3年,上唇肿块生长加快4月。皮肤组织病理检查:面部红斑皮损示:表皮角化过度伴灶性角化不全,可见角质栓,棘层肥厚,基底细胞液化变性,真皮内炎症细胞密集浸润。上唇疣状肿块示:角化不全,棘层不规则增生肥厚,有大量空泡化细胞,可见鳞状窝形成及少量角化不良细胞,未突破基底膜,真皮内血管增生,周围淋巴细胞块状浸润。右手拇指根部肿块活检符合寻常疣。诊断为盘状红斑狼疮继发上唇疣状癌合并双手寻常疣。     

Lymphocytes and macrophages of the epidermis and dermis in lesional psoriatic skin,but not epidermal Langerhans cells,are depleted by treatment with cyclosporin A

Summary Since cyclosporin A (CsA) is an immuno-suppressive agent, its beneficial effect in psoriasis suggests that immune cells may play a role in the pathogenesis and resolution of psoriasis. To determine early effects of CsA in psoriasis, we quantitated immune cells using double immunofluorescence microscopy on biopsy specimens obtained prior to therapy and after 3,7, and 14 days of CsA therapy. CsA therapy resulted in significant reductions in the absolute number of immune cells (including T cells, monocytes/macrophages, and antigen presenting cells) contained within psoriatic skin. The effect was rapid, with over one-half of the reduction in the density of HLe1⁺ (human leukocyte antigen-1 positive or bone marrow derived) cells, including T cells, activated T cells, monocytes, and Langerhans cells (LCs), occurring within 3 days. Despite the overall reduction in the numbers of immunocytes in the skin, the proportion of T cells, Langerhans cells, and monocytes in relation to the total number of immune cells was unchanged with therapy, reflecting equally proportional losses of each subtype. Dermal CD1⁺DR⁺ cells (putative Langerhans cells), which are not found in normal skin but are present in lesional psoriasis skin, were virtually cleared from the papillary dermis after CsA therapy. Although absolute numbers of epidermal Langerhans cells, defined as cells expressing both CD1 (T6) and DR molecules (CD1⁺DR⁺), were also reduced after CsA, epidermal non-Langerhans CD1^-DR⁺ cells (macrophages, activated T cells, DR^- keratinocytes) demonstrated a proportionally greater decrease, with the ratio of CD1⁺DR⁺ Langerhans cells/non-Langerhans CD1^-DR⁺ epidermal cells changing from a mean of 0.82 at baseline to 1.92 at day 14. Thus, early in the course of therapy, CsA appears to be effective at clearing CD1^-DR⁺ cells while leaving LC relatively intact in the epidermis.This work was supported in part by the Babcock Foundation     

Rituximab in refractory pemphigus vulgaris

ABSTRACT:  Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a severe chronic autoimmune blistering disease of skin and mucous membranes. The use of systemic corticosteroids in pemphigus has dramatically reduced its mortality rate, but the long-term use of steroids leads to severe side effects, many of which are serious. For this reason it is often necessary to add immunosuppressive agents to the regimen. However, there are occasional refractory cases in which therapy with conventionally accepted modalities is either not efficacious or not possible on account of side effects. Rituximab is a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting CD20, an integral membrane protein highly expressed on the surface of pre-B lymphocytes and activated mature B lymphocytes. We present an instance of refractory PV successfully treated with rituximab. The successful treatment of pemphigus described here demonstrates that rituximab is a viable therapeutic option for patients with refractory PV.     

凋亡抑制蛋白c-FLIP在银屑病患者外周血和皮损中的表达

目的 探讨凋亡抑制蛋白c-FLIP在寻常性银屑病患者外周血和皮损中的表达和分布情况。方法 采用流式细胞仪检测30例寻常性银屑病患者和20例正常人对照组外周血T细胞和B细胞内c-FLIP蛋白表达阳性率，采用免疫组化方法检测c-FLIP蛋白在其皮损中的表达。结果 进行期银屑病患者外周血T细胞内c-FLIP表达（6.32% ± 1.17%）明显高于恢复期患者（2.64% ± 0.74%，P < 0.01）和正常人对照组（2.28% ± 0.54%，P < 0.05）。而其在外周血B细胞内的表达3组间差异无统计学意义，3组分别为0.78% ± 0.16%，0.71% ± 0.32%，0.69% ± 0.18%，P值均 > 0.05。c-FLIP蛋白在进行期银屑病患者皮损中的表达（89.73 ± 5.24）明显高于恢复期（117.40 ± 7.50，P < 0.05）和正常人对照组（121.58 ± 7.93，P < 0.01），恢复期患者和正常人对照组之间差异无统计学意义（P > 0.05）。结论 凋亡抑制蛋白c-FLIP在进行期银屑病患者的外周血T细胞和皮损内明显高表达，可能参与银屑病患者T细胞的增殖。     

阿维A治疗前后对银屑病患者血管内皮生长因子表达的影响

目的 研究阿维A对血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)促银屑病血管生成的调节作用,探讨阿维A治疗银屑病的机制。方法 免疫组化法检测32例银屑病患者经阿维A治疗前后皮损的微血管密度和VEGF蛋白的表达情况。应用双抗体夹心酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)检测32例银屑病患者经阿维A治疗前后外周血清中VEGF水平。结果 ①银屑病患者经阿维A治疗前皮损VEGF蛋白的表达及微血管密度值显著高于治疗后(P<0.05)和正常人对照组(P<0.001)。②银屑病患者阿维A治疗前的血清VEGF水平高于治疗后(P<0.001)及正常人对照组(P<0.001)。结论 VEGF在银屑病新生血管生成中起重要作用。阿维A可能通过抗新生血管生成的作用来治疗银屑病。     

IL-12/23抑制剂乌司奴单抗在银屑病治疗中的应用

银屑病是一种免疫紊乱介导的以皮肤慢性炎症性改变为主的系统性疾病,临床表现为皮肤红斑鳞屑,可累及指(趾)甲及关节。IL-12和IL-23是参与银屑病发病的重要细胞因子,乌司奴单抗是靶向抑制IL-12和IL-23共有亚基p40的全人源单克隆抗体制剂,多项国内外随机对照临床试验结果表明,乌司奴单抗应用于中重度斑块型银屑病和关节病型银屑病的治疗可显著改善病情,提高患者生活质量,具有良好的有效性、长期稳定性和安全性。     

银屑病患者真皮间充质干细胞对HaCaT细胞的作用

目的 研究分析不同浓度银屑病患者真皮间充质干细胞（Dennis mesenchymal stem cells,DMSCs）对人永生化角质形成细胞（HaCaT）的作用.方法 取银屑病患者和正常人的真皮,获得纯度高的DMSCs,将HaCaT在Transwell小室下室接种,同时按照第5代DMSCs与HaCaT细胞之间的比例（1：1、5：1、10：1）将DMSCs分3组接种在Transwell上室,并设正常对照组和自然增殖组,采用实时细胞分析系统（RTCA）对HaCaT细胞进行增殖检测,培养74 h后用细胞计数法检测HaCaT细胞的数量.结果 共培养组较自然增殖组HaCaT细胞计数减少,与健康对照组相比,银屑病患者组HaCaT细胞计数减少不明显,以银屑病患者DMSC与HaCaT细胞按照1：1共培养组为著.结论 ①DMSCs对HaCaT细胞增殖有抑制作用.②与正常对照组、自然增殖组和其他比例组相比银屑病患者DMSCs与HaCaT 1：1共培养组对HaCaT细胞增殖抑制作用减弱更显著.