A 21-year-old Korean male was referred to our department in June, 1999 for the evaluation of extensive reddish patches and gray-bluish pigmentation since birth. Physical examination revealed two kinds of patches over the various parts of the body. Reddish patches suggesting nevus flammeus were located on the left side of face, chest, and both upper and lower extremities. Gray-bluish pigmented patches suggesting nevus of Ota were found on both the periorbital areas. A 0.5×0.6 cm erythematous papule was found on the right anterior chest. The results of its histopathologic examination were compatible with pyogenic granuloma. We made the diagnosis of phakomatosis pigmentovascularis associated with pyogenic granuloma as well as Sturge-Weber syndrome and Klippel-Trenanunay syndrome.
Diagnosis ; Granuloma, Pyogenic* ; Humans ; Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber Syndrome* ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Neurocutaneous Syndromes* ; Nevus of Ota ; Parturition ; Physical Examination ; Pigmentation ; Port-Wine Stain ; Sturge-Weber Syndrome* ; Thorax ; Young Adult

No abstract available.
Animals ; Embryonic Development* ; Embryonic Structures* ; Female ; Mice* ; Pregnancy

No abstract available.
Eating ; Functional Food ; Hypertrichosis ; Minoxidil

No abstract available.
Hepatitis E virus* ; Hepatitis E* ; Hepatitis* ; Korea*

In humans, the major stimulus for cutaneous pigmentation is ultraviolet radiation. Little is known about the mechanism underlying this response, in part, because of the complexity of the interactions involving the whole epidermis. The present stucy was undertake to evaluate the effects of a single exposure of UVB on cultured normal melanocytes. Melanocytes were exposed to UVB from 5.1 mJ/cm to 203 mJ/cm. The results were as follows : 1. The main morphologic changes in UVB-exposed groups w re larger sized cells, more blunted dendrites, and shorter dendrites than in the control group. These cells increased sized according to the increased doses of VVB, but above 101.5 mJ/cm, the melanocytes shrunk and were destroyed. 2. From 20.3 mJ/cm of UVB, the proliferation of melanocyte was decreased, Especially, there was statistical!y significant difference above 50.8 mJ/cm (p<0.05, p<0.01). 3. The antiproliferativo effect increased with the passage of tirie after UVB exposure. So, cell count could not be done in 101.5 mJ/cm and 203 mJ/cm on the third day, and in 50.8 mJ/cm, 101.5 m J/cm and 203 mJ/cm on the seventh day. 4. Statistically the melanin content per well was significantl dicreased to 11-28% of each control group with dose above 50.8 mJ/cm (p<0.05, p<0.01). The melanin content per cell was increased to 107-128% of each control group when doses were below 20.3 mJ/cm and decreased to 49-79% of each control group when above 0.8 mJ/cm on the third day, but there was no statistically significant difference. In summary, when melarocytes were exposed to UVB, morphclogic changes progressed to cell differentiation. The results also suggested that a low or dose of UVB has an antiproliferative arid mild melanogenic effect, and a higher dose of UVB has a direct cytotoxic effect.
Cell Count ; Cell Differentiation ; Dendrites ; Epidermis ; Humans ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Pigmentation

The author evaluated the optimal concentration of 3 compositions of TIC medium which has used as the melanacytes culture medium. The concentrations of placental extract and bovine pituitary extract, which have the ability to promote proliferation of melanocytes, were evaluated also. Modified TIC medium with above 5 components of evaluated concentration was very effective in melanocytes culture. The results were as follows : l. 12-0-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) showed effective melanocytes proliferating activity at the concentration of 30ngml (p(0.05) 2. Isobutylmet:hyl xanthine (IBMX) showed effective melanocytes proliferating activity at the concentration of 0.3mM (p(0.05) 3. Cholera toxin (CT) showed effective melanocytes proliferating activity at the concentration of )OnM (p(0.05) 4. Two percentages of placental extract in culture medium showed effective melanocytes proliferating activity. S. Two percentages of bovine pituitary extract in culture medium showed effective melanocytes proliferating activity. 6. Placental extract and isobutylmethyl xanthine proved to have high melanocytes proliferating activity. 7. Melanocytes proliferated rapidly on modified TIC medium (Proliferation doubling time . about 43 hours) 8. The peak time of melanocytes proliferation (7.2 X 10/cm) was observed on the seventh day of culture, From this data, this culture system can be recommended as a new melanocytes culture.
Cholera Toxin ; Humans* ; Melanocytes* ; Tics ; Xanthine

Squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) is a recognized late complication of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus(CDLE). There are many case reports of SCC in white patients with chronic DLE. However, it is uncommon in blacks and Asians. The etiology of squamous cell carcinoma is multifactorial. The predisposing factors for the development of SCC in these patients include actinic keratosis, Bowen's disease, burn scars, arsenic keratosis, and chronic discoid lupus erythematosus. Of these causes, SCC developing in the lesions of CDLE is very rare. We report a patient who has been evaluated for ten years with a diagnosis of discoid lupus erythematosus and has squamous cell carcinoma.
African Continental Ancestry Group ; Arsenic ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bowen's Disease ; Burns ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Causality ; Cicatrix ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Keratosis ; Keratosis, Actinic ; Lupus Erythematosus, Discoid*

BACKGROUND: In the skin, the major stimulus for cutaneous pigmentation is ultraviolet radiation. The most important physiologic role of melanin is protection against harmful UV radiation to skin. It is known there are some differences in melanization between a single and multiple exposures of UVB, in vivo. Little if known about the functions of the melanocyte alone in cutaneous pigmentation after ultraviolet exposure, because of the complexity of interactions in the whole epidermis. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of multiple exposures at various dosages of UVB, and to compare the effect of UVB in multiple divided exposures with a single exposure at the same total dosage of UVB on proliferation and melanization in cultured human melanocyte. METHODS: Melanocytes were cultured by modified TIC medium. The melanoctes were exposed daily for three consecutive days to UVB at 2, 4, 8 and 16 mJ/cm2and a single exposure at 24 mJ/cm2. The morphologic changes were examined by phase contrast microscopy. The melanocytes were counted by hemocytometer and melanin contents were assayed by spectrophotometer. RESULTS: 1. The effects of multiple UVB exposures: 1) The morphologic changes were as follows: With three time exposures at a dosage of 8 mJ/cm2, themelanocytes enlarged in size, and elongated their dendrites slightly; with three time exposures at a dosage of 16 mJ/cm2, enlargement in sized and elongation of dendrited were more significant. 2) With three time exposures at dosages of 2 nd 4 mJ/cm2, the proliferation of melanocytes was stiumlated significantly(p<0.05). However, with three time exposures at dosages of 8 and 16 mJ/cm2the proliferation was inhibited(p<0.05). 3) With three time exposures at dosages of 2 and 4 mJ/cm2, the melanin contents were decreased. However, with three tiem exposures at a dosage of 16 mJ/cm2, the melanin contents were highly increased(p<0.01). 2. The comparison between multiple divided exposures and a single exposure at the same toal dosage of UVB: 1) There were no morphologic differences of dendrities between with three time exposures at a dosage of 8 mJ/cm2 and with a single exposure at a dosage of 24 mJ/cm2. However enlarged melanocytes were more numerous with a single exposure. 2) The proliferation of melanocytes was more inhibited with a single exposure than with multiple divided exposures(p<0.05). 3) The melanin contents were more increased with a single exposure than with multiple divided exposures(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: With multiple exposures at lower dosages of UVB, the proliferation of melanocytes was stimulated, and melanization was decreased. However, with multiple exposures at higher dosages of UVB, the proliferation was inhibited, and melanization was increased. At the same total dosage of UVB, the proliferation was more inhibited, and the melanization was more increased with a single exposure than with multiple divided exposures.
Dendrites ; Dermatitis, Irritant ; Epidermis ; Humans* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast ; Pigmentation ; Skin ; Tics

BACKGROUND: Human growth hormone(hGH) plays a central role in linear bone growth and body metabolism. Its mitogenic effect in human tissues is mediated via direct and indirect actions. As proposed by the "somatomedin hypothesis", many circulating GH-mediated effects are exerted indirectly and systemically via stimulation of hepatic synthesis of insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1). Given additional evidences for the expression of growth hormone receptor(GH-R) and IGF-1 receptor(IGF-1R) on many target tissues including keratinocytes, melanocytes, and fibroblasts, it is now evident that the GH can act via systemic IGF-1 secreted by the liver and locally produced IGF-1, as well as directly through the GH receptor. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate not only the effect of IGF-1 on the morphologic changes, proliferation, and melanization of cultured human melanocytes but also on its signal transduction pathway through the IGF-1R. METHODS: Melanocytes were exposed to IGF-1 at 10, 25, 50, 75, 100ng/ml and we examined the changes of cell morphology, number of cells, [3H]-thymidine incorporation, MTS assay, and melanization according to the concentrations and exposure times of IGF-1. Also, the activity of p44/42 MAPK/ERK according to the various exposure times of IGF-1(25ng/ml) was examined using the Western blotting method to find out about the signal transdution pathway of IGF-1. RESULTS: The results were as follows: 1. There were no significant morphological changes of cells between the control and experimental groups according to the concentrations and exposure times of IGF-1. 2. The effects on melanocytes according to the concentrations of IGF-1 5 days after adding IGF-1 : 1) The number of cells, [3H]-thymidine incorporation, and MTS assay were significantly higher than those of control group in all experimental groups(p<0.05). 2) The melanin content showed an insignificant decrease in all experimental groups. 3) The melanocytes responded independent of the IGF-1 concentration in the assay of cell number, [3H]-thymidine incorporation and MTS. 3. The effects on melanocytes according to the exposure times(3 days, 5 days, 7 days) of IGF-1(25 ng/ml) : 1) The number of cells, [3H]-thymidine incorporation, and MTS assay increased as time went by, and was significantly higher than those of control group at all exposure times(p<0.05). 2) The melanin content decreased after exposure of IGF-1, especially that of 3 days exposure group showed a significant decrease(p<0.05). 4. The activities of p44/42 MAPK/ERK increased suddenly at 5 minutes with a peak at 60 minutes and then abruptly decreased at 120 minutes after adding IGF-1 CONCLUSION: In summary, this study demonstrates that IGF-1 has no effect on the morphology, but it does increase the proliferation and slightly decrease the melanization of cultured human melanocytes. In addition, it is suggested that IGF-1 plays a role in regulation of proliferation of melanocytes via the receptor PTK pathway with activation of p44/42 MAPK/ERK.
Blotting, Western ; Bone Development ; Cell Count ; Fibroblasts ; Growth Hormone ; Humans* ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I* ; Keratinocytes ; Liver ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Metabolism ; Signal Transduction

The authors investigated the antiproliferative effect and expression of HLA-DR an- tigen by recombinant gamma-interferon (r-IFN-y) on cultured human keratinocytes (KC). The results were as follows, 1. From 10l.J/ml of r-1FN-p exposure, the proliferation of KC decreased in a concentration dependent fashion. But there was little difference of antiproliferative effect above 30U/ml of r-IFN-y exposure. 2. The expression of HLA-DR antigen on KC increased in a concentration and time dependent fashion of r-IFN-p exposure. E3ut t,here was little difference of HLA-DR antigen expression on KC above 30tJ/ml and most of HLA-DR antigen were expressed within 48hr. 3. The opt,imal condition for HLA-DR antigen induction on KC by r-IFN-p was likely t,hat HLA-DR KC was observed at 48hr under the our exposure of 30U/ml of r-IFN p. 4. After 4hr exposure of 30U/ml of r-IFN-p, KC expresed HLA-BR. antigen, reaching a maximum intensity at 3 days. At, 7 days, the loss of HI A-DR KC showed over 90% of maximum intensity.
HLA-DR Antigens* ; Humans* ; Interferon-gamma ; Interferons* ; Keratinocytes*