To take advantage of hypertrichosis, one of the side effcct of minoxidil, is used as a application to male pattern baldness and alopecia areata. Recently 101 Hair Regrowth Liniment which is a new hair growth stimulator from China is used in male pattern baldness, but its components, actions and side effects are exactly unknown. We experienced three cases of allergic contact dermatits one case due to minoxidil and others due to 101 Hair Regrowth Liniment which were confirmed by patch test.
Alopecia ; Alopecia Areata ; China ; Dermatitis, Allergic Contact* ; Hair* ; Hypertrichosis ; Minoxidil ; Patch Tests

Bowen's disease may be defined as an intraepidermal squamous cell carcinoma of the skin whieh puraues a slow, relatively benign course but may progress into invasive carcinoma. We have experienced two female patients who had well demarcated, multicentric, brown to black colored flat-topped papules on the vulva with histopathologic features of intraepidermal squamous cell carcinoma but showed entireIy different clinicaI appearance from Bowen's disease. For differentiation from extramammary Paget's disease, PAS stain and mucicarmine stain were done but not reacted to them, Both cases were diagnosed as multicentric pigmented Bowen's disease, and in case 2, regression occured after local appIication of 5-fluorouracil cream. A conservative approach to managment of these lesions is suggested. We have experienced peculiar entities and literatures were reviewed.
Bowen's Disease* ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Female ; Fluorouracil ; Humans ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Skin ; Vulva

BACKGROUND: Superoxide disrnutase(SOD) provides a protective defease mechanism against potential cytotoxicity of superoxide radical in the aerobic organism. Although human skin is constantly at risk for developing acute and chronic changes by ultraviolet radiation and phototoxic reactions with exogenous and endogenously procluced photosensitizing molecules, studies in SOD in the human skin are rare. OBJECTIVE: We measured the level of SOD activities in the scar tissues and the normal human skin specimens. This study was to investigate changes of SOD activity by age, sex, and regional differences of SOD activities in the scar issues and the normal skin. METHODS: Aut,hors assayed the level of SOD activit,ies in 32 scar tissues(male 8, female 24) and 11 normal human skin specimens(male 8, female 3), which were obtaine 3 from face/neck(17 and 3 specimens), forearm(only 4 scar tissues), trunk(10 and 8 specimens), and lower extremity(only 1 scar tissue). RESULTS: First, activities of total SOD, Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOL ere 18.93+5.49, 16.97+55.31, and 1.96+0.90 units/mg proteiii respectively in the scar tissues. Second activities of total SOD, Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD were 17.27+7.09, 13.82+6.44, and 3.45+1.07 units/mg protein respectively in the normal skin. Third, the changes of total SOD, Cu, Zn-SOD, and Mn-SOD activities by age and sex were similar each other and three were no significant, differneces between age groups in total, Cu, Zn- SOD, and Mn-SOD activities. Fourth, in sun exposed area and unexposed area there were no significant differences in the scar tissues in SOD activities. But, SOD activite.(total, Cu, Zn, and Mn-SOD) in face/neck were higher than those in trunk and lower extremity in tae normal skin(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that there are no differences in the intrinsic SOD activities by age and sex in the mature scar tissues and the normal skin. Differences between exposed and unexposed area in the normal skin are due to the induction of exogenous SOD activity by sun-light generation of superoxide radicals. In wound, increased production of leukocyte derived superoxide radicals is the main factor of increased level of SOD activity.
Cicatrix* ; Female ; Humans ; Leukocytes ; Lower Extremity ; Skin ; Solar System ; Superoxide Dismutase* ; Superoxides* ; Wounds and Injuries

BACKGROUND: The large surfaces of the skin are often initial site of contact between microorganism and human. The skin are coated with epidermis and epithelial cells can recognize microorganism and mount a fast defense through the production of various inducible antibiotic peptides. This leads to chracteristic broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Recent studies introduce us new peptides with antimicrobial activity such as P,-defensins and cathelicidins. They are expressed on the epithelia and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which are first lines of defence from various invasive environments. Futhermore, they are considered very interesting and important endogenous antibiotics. Our previous study has shown that the expression of human defensin(hBD-2) mRNA, which is potent antibiotic peptide against Gram-negative bacteria(P. aeruginosa), was upregulated with ultraviolet(UV) irradiation, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in HaCaT cells. A novel hBD-3, 5-kDa, nonhemolytic antimicrobial peptide, was demonstrated a salt-insensitive broad spectrum of potent antimicrobial activity against many potentially pathogenic microbes in especially, multiresistant S. aureus. We have analyzed the expression patterns of hBD-3 in HaCaT cell lines. OBJECTIVE: This research have done in order to evaluate the expression and regulation of hBD-3 mRNA in human keratinocyte cell lines. METHODS: HaCaT cell lines were used to all culture experiments. Cultured human keratinocytes were stimulated with UV irradiation or TNF-α or LPS to determine whether hBD-3 mRNA production occurred. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was per-formed to amplify hBD-3 cDNA from stimulated keratinocytes in a time dependant manner, and densitometry was used to verify the specificity of RT-PCR amplication products. RESULTS: Expression of hBD-3 was upregulated with UV irradiation, TNF-α and LPS in Ha-CaT cells compared to control CONCLUSIONS: Human keratinocytes are capable to induce hBD-3 mRNA, as well as hBD-2, in response to UV irradiation, TNF-α and LPS. suggesting that these cells could play an important role against the bacterial infection and UV light damage in human skin.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacteria ; Bacterial Infections ; Cathelicidins ; Cell Line* ; Densitometry ; DNA, Complementary ; Epidermis ; Epithelial Cells ; Fungi ; Humans* ; Keratinocytes ; Necrosis ; Neutrophils ; Peptides ; RNA, Messenger ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Skin ; Ultraviolet Rays

BACKGROUND: Superoxide dismutases (SOD) are important metallo-enzymes which scavenge and dismutase the superoxide free radical. They are thought to be the main enzymes in the antioxidant defense system. In the several cell ines the induction of Mn-SOD expression by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha which is a known inflammatory cytokine, suggests that Mn-SOD may play a role in the inflammatory process. However, this effect is occurred. OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertakento determine whether the induction of SOD expression by TNF-alpha, in the keratinocytes is occurred. METHODS: Primary keratinocyte cultures from neonatal foreskins were grown in complete MCDB 153 medium. Measurement of superoxide radical and SOD activity were performed according to Babior and Fridovich methods, respectively. RESULTS: 1. The release of superoxide radical were measured after 30, 60, 90 minutes exposure to 10ng/ms TNF-alpha, THE RESULTS SHOWS 2.94+/-0.30 NMOL/2x105, 3.55+/-0.52 NMOL/2x105, 4.13+/-0.70 nmol/2x105 respectivelyl The increase of superoxide radical release was detectable in a time dependent manner. 2. Total SOD activity without treatment of TNF-alpha at 24 hours was 18.46+/-2.85, Total SOD activities after treatment of 1, 10, 100 ng/ml TNF-alpha at 24hours were 36.47+/-6.80, 88.01+/-7.79, 94.50+/-8.97 respectively, which suggested that TNF-alpha induced increase of total SOD significantly (p<0.050. TNF-alpha stimulate total SOD induction in a dose and time dependent manner, although the effects were not outstanding. Mn-SOD activity after treatment of 100 ng/ml TNF-alpha at 48 hours was 84.12+/-14.83, which was approxdimately 10.5 fold of that of the untredated case. TNF-alpha also induced the Cu, Zn-SOD activity, but the effect was not so much as in the case of Mn -SOD. CONCLUSION: TNF-alpha induces production of total SODD activities, especially Mn-SOD in the human kerati ocytes, which may be to protect cells from inflammation mediated oxidative damage, namely production of total SOD protein, especially Mn-SOD in response to TNF-alpha induced and scavenged overproduced superoxide radical which in turn may result in protection of the keratinocytes.
Foreskin ; Humans* ; Inflammation ; Keratinocytes* ; Superoxide Dismutase* ; Superoxides* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

No abstract available.
Keratinocytes*

No abstract available.
Child* ; Dinitrochlorobenzene* ; Humans ; Immunotherapy* ; Warts*

BACKGROUND: Interferon alpha-2a has already been shown to be effective in clinical use of virus-originated diseases such as hairy cell leukemia, condyloma acuminatum, and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. The use of recombinant alpha-interferon may allow common warts to be treated relatively atraumatically and with less incidence of recurrence. OBJECTIVE: We tried to determine the safety and effectiveness of intralesional injections of recombinant alpha-2a interferon in the treatment of patients with common warts. METHODS: A single wart on each patient was weekly injected with 0.75 to 1.5×10(5) IU/25mm2 of interferon for 8 weeks, and the response to treatment was followed up-to 6 months. RESULTS: Clearing of the treated wart at the end of treatment occurred in 5(71%) out of 7 patients and the rest showed no improvement. With evaluation for relapses up-to 6 months after treatment, warts relapsed in 2(40%) out of 5 patients. Therefore, 3(43%) out of 7 patients were completely free of warts 6 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Intralesional recombinant interferon alpha-2a has a limited therapeutic effect, but may be considered as a therapeutic modality of recalcitrant verruca or when it can be anticipated that destructive techniques or blistering agents will not be tolerated.
Blister ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Intralesional ; Interferon-alpha ; Interferons* ; Leukemia, Hairy Cell ; Recurrence ; Sarcoma, Kaposi ; Warts*

No abstract available.
Alopecia*

Dermatologic complications attributed to BCG vaccination are rarely seen. We report a case of widespread skin tuberculosis following BCG vaccination. A 28-year old female visited our outpatient clinic because of erythematous plaques and atrophic patches on the upper chest, both axillae, neck and frontal scalp. Her skin lesion had developed on the right shoulder after BCG vaccination.18 years ago, and gradually extended. She was treated under the impression of psoriasis at private clinic for recent 2 years, but her skin lesions were aggravated. Tuberculin skin test revealed positive reaction. Histopathologic examinations from scalp, posterior neck and axilla revealed granulomatous structures composed of giant cells, epithelioid cells and lymphoid cells in the dermis, but tubercle bacilli were not found in AFB stain. After 9 months of treatment with antituberculous medications such as streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampin and ethambutol, her skin lesions were almost healed.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Axilla ; Dermis ; Epithelioid Cells ; Ethambutol ; Female ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Isoniazid ; Lymphocytes ; Mycobacterium bovis* ; Neck ; Psoriasis ; Rifampin ; Scalp ; Shoulder ; Skin Tests ; Skin* ; Streptomycin ; Thorax ; Tuberculin ; Tuberculosis, Cutaneous* ; Vaccination*