Background: Biologics have been increasingly used in the treatment of severe psoriasis. However, evidence regarding the results of tuberculosis (TB) screening and risk of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) during treatment with biologics is conflicting. Objective: We aimed to assess the prevalence of LTBI in patients with severe psoriasis who were treated with biologics (anti-tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-12/23, IL-17, and IL-23) and to evaluate the rate of conversion of interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) during treatment with biologics at a single medical center. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with severe psoriasis who were treated with biologics (n=118) and had results for ≥2 IGRA (n=76). Data including demographics, age, sex, previous therapy for psoriasis, and type of ongoing treatment were collected for each patient. Results: Among the 118 patients included in the study, 30 (25.4%) were diagnosed with LTBI before the initiation of biologics, 25 (83.3%) were male, and only five patients were aged below 40 years. After treatment with biologics for an average duration of 2.4 years, there was no active tuberculosis infection in 76 patients, but eight patients (10.5%) showed positive conversion of IGRA. Conclusion Altogether, 10.5% of the patients with psoriasis who were undergoing treatment with biologics exhibited IGRA conversion. Periodic follow-up is crucial to avoid severe infectious complications during prolonged use of these agents, especially in patients with risk factors for tuberculosis or in patients aged above 50 years.

No abstract available.
Mycobacterium chelonae ; Mycobacterium

Secukinumab is an anti-interleukin 17A monoclonal antibody used for treating chronic plaque psoriasis. Eczematous eruption is a relatively unknown adverse effect of secukinumab. A 32-year-old man developed eczematous eruptions on both lower extremities following secukinumab treatment for severe plaque psoriasis. The lesions were clinically diagnosed as a nummular eczema-like eruption and were treated with topical corticosteroids without switching or stopping secukinumab. Considering the increased use of secukinumab and other interleukin-17A inhibitors, dermatologists should be aware of the cutaneous side effects of the drug.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the toxic effects of toluene on the placental functions and reproductionin the rat. In this study, the expression of placental prolactin-growth hormone (PRL-GH) and Pit-1 genes, the frequency of placental trophoblast cells, and the reproductive data were analyzed. METHODS: The pregnancy of the Sprague-Dawley rats (250+/-25 g) was determined by verifying the presence of the copulatory plug or sperm in the vaginal smear and the day on which this was observed was defined as pregnancy day 0. The pregnant rats were divided into three groups. The control group was intraperitoneally (ip) injected with sesame oil, and the other two groups were given either 150 or 750 mg/kg BW/day of toluene resuspended in sesame oil during pregnancy days 7-11 and 16-20. The rats from the three experimental groups were sacrificed on pregnancy days 11 and 20, respectively. The mRNA levels of the PRL-GH, Pit-1a and b isotype genes were analyzed by Northern blot hybridization and Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. The hormonal concentration was analyzed by Radioimmunoassay. The frequency of the placental trophoblast cells was determined by means of a histochemical study. Reproductive data, such as the placenta and infnat weight, pregnancy period and litter size were surveyed at pregnancy day 20 and after birth. Statistical analysis was carried out by means of the SAS program (version 8.1). RESULTS: The mRNA levels of the PRL-GH family genes were reduced in a linear fashion by exposure to toluene. The mRNA levels of the Pit-1a and b isotype genes, which induce the expression of the PRL-GH family genes, were also reduced by exposure to toluene. The placental lactogen Iv and II concentrations in the rat placenta, fetus and maternal blood were also decreased by exposure to toluene. During the last stage of gestation, exposure to a high dose of toluene reduced the frequency of the spongiotrophoblast cells that secrete the PRL-GH hormones. Reproductive data such as the placenta and infant weight, and litter size were reduced, and the pregnancy period was extended in the toluene exposed group as compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Toluene disrupts the PRL-GH hormone metabolism in the rat placenta and this leads to reproductive disorder.
Animals ; Blotting, Northern ; Fetus ; Humans ; Infant ; Litter Size ; Metabolism ; Parturition ; Placenta ; Placental Lactogen ; Pregnancy ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reproduction* ; RNA, Messenger ; Sesame Oil ; Spermatozoa ; Toluene* ; Trophoblasts ; Vaginal Smears

PURPOSE: To compare immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a combined diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis-inactivated poliovirus vaccine (DTPa-IPV, Infanrix(TM) IPV, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals) with co-administration of commercially available DTPa and IPV vaccines at separate injection sites (DTPa+IPV). METHODS: A total of 458 infants aged 8-12 weeks were randomized to receive three-dose primary vaccination at 2, 4 and 6 months with DTPa-IPV or DTPa+IPV. Blood samples were collected pre and post vaccination for measurement of immune responses. Reactogenicity was assessed following each dose using diary cards. RESULTS: One month post-dose 3, seroprotection rates for anti-diphtheria, anti-tetanus and anti-poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 were > or =99.5% and vaccine response rates to pertussis antigens were at least 98.6% in both DTPa-IPV and DTPa + IPV groups. Non-inferiority between the groups was demonstrated based on pre-defined statistical criteria. Incidences of both local and systemic symptoms were within the same range across both groups with grade 3 symptoms reported following no more than 4.3% of DTPa-IPV doses and 4.5% of DTPa + IPV doses. Two serious adverse events (both pyrexia) after DTPa-IPV administration were considered vaccine-related. Both infants recovered fully. CONCLUSION: Combined DTPa-IPV vaccine was immunogenic and well tolerated when used as a three-dose primary vaccination course in Korean infants. DTPa-IPV could be incorporated into the Korean vaccination schedule, reducing the number of injections required to complete primary immunization.
Aged ; Appointments and Schedules ; Humans ; Immunization ; Incidence ; Infant ; Pentetic Acid ; Poliovirus ; Vaccination ; Vaccines ; Whooping Cough

The use of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells for cell transplantation therapy holds great promise for repairing spinal cord injury. Here we report the first clinical trial transplantation of human umbilical cord (hUCB)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the spinal cord of a dog suspected to have fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCEM) and that experienced a loss of deep pain sensation. Locomotor functions improved following transplantation in a dog. Based on our findings, we suggest that transplantation of hUCB-derived MSCs will have beneficial therapeutic effects on FCEM patients lacking deep pain sensation.
Animals ; Cartilage Diseases/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; *Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation/veterinary ; Dog Diseases/etiology/*therapy ; Dogs ; Embolism/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; Female ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/cytology/*metabolism ; Spinal Cord Diseases/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the toxic effects of cadmium on placental function and reproduction in rats. For this study, the mRNA levels of the placental prolactin-growth hormone (PRL-GH) gene family, placental trophoblast cell frequemcy and reproductive data were analyzed. METHODS: Pregnant F344 Fisher rats (200 g+/-23 g) were intraperitoneally injected with 0, 0.5, and 5.0 mg/kg B.W/day of cadmium (CdCl2) dissolved in saline from days 7-11 or 16-20 of pregnancy, and were sacrificed at days 11 or 20, respectively. The mRNA levels were analyzed by Northern blot hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The hormone concentration was analyzed by radioimmunoassay and the frequemcy of the placental trophoblast cells was observed by histochemical study. Reproductive data were surveyed at day 20 of the pregnancy and after the births. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SAS program (version 8.1). RESULTS: The mRNA levels of the PRL-GH gene family were reduced dose dependently by cadmium. The mRNA levels of Pit-1a and -b isotype genes were also reduced by cadmium. The hormone concentration of PL-Iv and -II was decreased by cadmium. During the second half of pregnancy (days 11-21), a high dose of cadmium exposure significantly reduced the frequency of spongiotrophoblast and trophoblast giant cells that secrete the PRL-GH hormones. In the last stage of pregnancy (day 20), a high dose of cadmium exposure induced the apoptosis of spon-giotrophoblast cells in the junctional zone of the placenta. Reproductive data such as placental and infant weight, number of live fetuses were decreased, and number of resorptions and dead fetuses, post-implantation loss were increased significantly in the cadmium exposed group compared with the control. CONCLUSIONS: Cadmium disrupts the functions of the placenta and these effects leads to reproductive disorders in rats.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blotting, Northern ; Cadmium* ; Fetus ; Giant Cells ; Humans ; Infant ; Parturition ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Radioimmunoassay ; Rats* ; Reproduction* ; RNA, Messenger ; Trophoblasts

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the gene expression profile in basal ganglia of manganese-exposed rats based on cDNA array analysis. METHODS: For cDNA array, 25 male Sprague-Dawley rats (250+/-25 g) were intraperitoneally injected with 25 mg/kg B.W./day of MnCl2 (0.3 ml) for 10 days. For dose-related gene expression analysis, rats were intraperitoneally injected with 0.2, 1.0, and 5.0 mg/kg B.W/day of MnCl2 for 10 days. Control rats were injected with an equal volume of saline. RNA samples were extracted from brain tissue and reversetranscribed in the presence of [alpha32P]-dATP. Membrane sets of the Atlas Rat 1.2 array II and Toxicology array 1.2 kit (Clontech, Palo Alto, CA) were hybridized with cDNA probe sets. Northern blot hybridization method was employed to assess the dose-related gene expression. RESULTS: Fifty-two genes showed significant changes in expression of more than two-fold. Twentyeight were up-regulated and 24 were down-regulated in the manganese-exposed group compared to the control. Among the 52 genes, 28 genes including nuclear factor I-X1 (NF1-X1), neuroligin 2 and 3, mitochondrial stress-70 protein (MTHSP70), neurodegeneration-associated protein 1 (Neurodap1), multidrug resistance protein (MDR), and endoplasmic reticulum stress protein 72 (ERP72), were reported for the first time related to the manganese-induced neurotoxic-metabolism in the rat basal ganglia. According to the dose-related gene expression analyses, MTHSP70, Neurodap1 and ERP72 genes were up-regulated compared to the control even in the group exposed to low manganese dose (0.2 mg/kg B.W./day). CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-eight genes detected for the first time in this study were closely related to the manganese-induced neurotoxic-metabolism in the rat basal ganglia and further study of these genes can give some more useful information about the manganese metabolism.
Animals ; Basal Ganglia* ; Blotting, Northern ; Brain ; DNA, Complementary* ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress ; Gene Expression* ; Humans ; Male ; Manganese ; Membranes ; Metabolism ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; RNA ; Toxicology ; Transcriptome