OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglycoside (TGW) in the treatment of psoriatic dermatitis from a cellular immunological perspective. METHODS: Mouse models of psoriatic dermatitis were established by imiquimod (IMQ). Twelve male BALB/c mice were assigned to IMQ or IMQ₊TGW groups according to a random number table. Histopathological changes in vivo were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Ratios of immune cells and cytokines in mice, as well as PAM212 cell proliferation in vitro were assessed by flow cytometry. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression was determined using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: TGW significantly ameliorated the severity of IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse skin lesions and restrained the activation of CD45⁺ cells, neutrophils and T lymphocytes (all P<0.01). Moreover, TGW significantly attenuated keratinocytes (KCs) proliferation and downregulated the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-17A, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor α, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Furthermore, it reduced the number of γ δ T17 cells in skin lesion of mice and draining lymph nodes (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS TGW improved psoriasis-like inflammation by inhibiting KCs proliferation, as well as the associated immune cells and cytokine expression. It inhibited IL-17 secretion from γ δ T cells, which improved the immune-inflammatory microenvironment of psoriasis.
Male ; Animals ; Mice ; Tripterygium ; Psoriasis/drug therapy* ; Keratinocytes ; Skin Diseases/metabolism* ; Cytokines/metabolism* ; Imiquimod/metabolism* ; Dermatitis/pathology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Skin/metabolism*

Immune-mediated dermatoses are the skin diseases caused by the breakdown of immune tolerance,including lupus erythematosus and dermatomyositis.The imbalance between regulatory T cells (Tregs) and effector T cells (Teffs) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of these diseases.Low-dose interleukin-2 can preferentially activate Tregs and reverse the imbalance between Tregs and Teffs to recover the immune tolerance,which has attracted attention in the treatment of immune-mediated dermatoses.This review summarizes the research progress in the immunomodulatory mechanism and clinical application of low-dose interleukin-2 in immune-mediated dermatoses,providing a new idea for the clinical treatment of these diseases.
Humans ; Interleukin-2 ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory ; Skin Diseases/drug therapy*

Currently, the gut-organ axis has become a hot research topic. As increasing attention has been paid to the role of gut microbiota in the health of organs, the complex and integrated dialogue mechanism between the gastrointestinal tract and the associated microbiota has been demonstrated in more and more studies. Skin as the largest organ in the human body serves as the primary barrier protecting the human body from damage. The proposal of the gut-skin axis has established a bidirectional link between the gut and the skin. The disturbance of gut microbiota can lead to the occurrence of skin diseases, the mechanism of which is complex and may involve multiple pathways in immunity, metabolism, and internal secretion. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), the connection between the intestine and the skin can be established through the lung, and the interior disorders will definitely cause symptoms on the exterior. This paper reviews the research progress in the gut-skin axis and its correlation with TCM theory and provides ideas and a basis for cli-nical treatment and drug development of skin and intestinal diseases.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Skin Diseases/drug therapy* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome

Atopic dermatitis(AD),a chronic and relapsing skin disease,is characterized by dry skin and pruritus,severely affecting the quality of patients' life.Accurately grasping the diagnostic criteria and severity assessment is essential and helps to avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.Moreover,it facilities the development and adjustment of the therapeutic schedule according to the therapeutic reaction and disease control conditions.This article reviews the research advances in the diagnostic criteria and severity assessment of AD.
Humans ; Dermatitis, Atopic/drug therapy* ; Pruritus ; Skin Diseases ; Severity of Illness Index

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Psoriasis/drug therapy* ; Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous

PURPOSE: We report a case of a young female patient who was diagnosed with a marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) of the lacrimal sac which mimicked dacrocystitis. CASE SUMMARY: A 23-year-old female suffered from epiphora for 3 years in the right eye. She had swelling and a painful lesion at the lacrimal sac 4 months prior and was referred to our hospital due to nasolacrimal duct obstruction and dacryocystitis. Lacrimal irrigation was performed with no passing and regurgitation with mucoid discharge. We performed orbital computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging which showed a suspected tumor of the lacrimal sac in the right eye. We then performed excision and biopsy of the tumor through the skin approach. The patient was diagnosed with a MALT lymphoma with no systemic involvement. After six cycles of chemotherapy involving rituximab with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone, the lesion of the mass and the painful symptoms decreased, which was regarded as a complete response. However, epiphora and eye discharge persisted, showing a nasolacrimal duct obstruction, so we performed endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy with a lacrimal sac biopsy. The histological examination showed chronic inflammation, but not lymphoma. There was no recurrence of lymphoma at one year postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: If there is an epiphora and palpable lesion in the lacrimal sac area, MALT lymphoma mimicking dacyocystitis may be suspected. After the lymphoma is first diagnosed by excision and biopsy, systemic chemotherapy with dacryocystorhinostomy could be an effective treatment.
Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Dacryocystitis ; Dacryocystorhinostomy ; Drug Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nasolacrimal Duct ; Orbit ; Prednisone ; Recurrence ; Rituximab ; Skin ; Vincristine ; Young Adult

Idiopathic neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis is usually observed in healthy children with tender erythematous nodules on the soles or palms. We report a case of a 26-year-old man with a painful erythematous swollen patch on both hands and feet. His symptom recurred once monthly over 2 years; thus, he visited Orthopedics. However, no bony abnormality was identified. We performed a skin biopsy on an erythematous indurated patch on his right sole. Histopathological findings indicated neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis. After 2 weeks of treatment with oral colchicine, his symptom resolved, and no relapses were observed during follow-up. Only a few case reports describe idiopathic neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis in adults, which is not associated with malignant hematological disease, solid cancer, and chemotherapy. Conventional treatment comprises bed-rest and the administration of topical steroids. Colchicine can be a good treatment option for adults with severe or recurrent idiopathic neutrophilic eccrine hidradenitis.
Adult* ; Biopsy ; Child ; Colchicine* ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Hand ; Hematologic Diseases ; Hidradenitis* ; Humans ; Neutrophils* ; Orthopedics ; Recurrence ; Skin ; Steroids

Raynaud syndrome is a medical condition that causes pain, numbness, and changes in skin color at the distal extremities. Raynaud syndrome can be subdivided into primary Raynaud's and secondary Raynaud's. The former is diagnosed when the cause is unknown and the latter is caused by an underlying condition, such as connective tissue diseases, injury, smoking, or certain medications. Both cancer chemotherapy and β-blockers are relatively common causes of Raynaud syndrome but there are no reports of its association with methimazole administration. The authors encountered a 43-year old woman with hyperthyroidism who developed digital ulcers associated with Raynaud syndrome after a methimazole treatment. Her digital ulcers and Raynaud syndrome were improved after methimazole was replaced with propylthiouracil and conventional therapy. This paper reports this case along with a review of the relevant literature.
Connective Tissue Diseases ; Drug Therapy ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperthyroidism ; Hypesthesia ; Methimazole* ; Propylthiouracil ; Skin Pigmentation ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Ulcer

The cutaneous melanoma has been regarded as rare disease entity in Korea for long time but it shows a silent growth recently. Furthermore the management of cutaneous melanoma including staging system, surgical principle, sentinel lymph node biopsy and subsequent complete node dissection and, most importantly, immunotherapy and target therapy against cutaneous melanoma recently. The incidence of cutaneous melanoma is steadily increasing in Korea but its increase is rapid recent 2 decades to 4.3 times and should be greater soon according to the steeper increase of life expectancy. New staging system proposed by American Joint Committee on Cancer (2017) includes changes in individual TNM category and stage groups, particularly from a prognostic viewpoint. Dermoscopy has been successfully introduced in the differential diagnosis of pigmented skin lesion focusing on cutaneous melanoma by non-invasive simple diagnostic tool. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was a issue of long debate whether survival benefit is real or not. Temporary conclusion about this question is reached after two large scale studies and immediate complete node dissection should be performed in a certain situations. Most important change is drug therapy focusing on immunotherapy and target therapy. Braf- and MEK-inhibitor, immune checkpoint inhibitor and PD-1 blocker has been proved to be effective as a sole or combination regimen against advanced and/or high-risk adjuvant setting of cutaneous melanoma. In conclusion, these remarkable changes will be reviewed shortly here.
Dermoscopy ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy ; Immunotherapy ; Incidence ; Joints ; Korea ; Life Expectancy ; Melanoma ; Rare Diseases ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy ; Skin

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematologic malignancy that typically presents in the form of skin manifestations with or without lymph node and bone marrow involvement. Given its rarity and recent recognition as a distinct pathological entity, no standard of treatment exists for this aggressive disease and its prognosis is particularly dismal. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical features and treatment outcomes of patients who were diagnosed with BPDCN between 2000 and 2014. RESULTS: Ten patients had a median age at diagnosis of 41 years (range, 18 to 79), and seven patients were male. Sites of disease involvement were the skin (n = 7), lymph node (n = 5), bone marrow (n = 2), liver (n = 2), spleen (n = 2), and soft tissue (n = 1). Intensified chemotherapy regimens such as hyperCVAD regimen (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone, methotrexate, cytarabine), and VPDL (vincristine, methylprednisolone, daunorubicin, L-asparaginase) were used as a first-line treatment. Although all patients treated with intensified chemotherapy showed an objective response (five patients with complete response) with median progression-free survival of 11.2 months (range 6.2 to 19.4), complete remission was not sustained for more than 2 years in any case. The response was relatively long-lived compared with previously reported CHOP (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone)-like regimens, but the above regimens do not result in long-term remission. CONCLUSIONS: All patients treated with hyperCVAD or VPDL showed an objective response, but the duration of response was relatively short. Thus, the development of more effective induction as well as consolidation treatment strategy should be warranted to improve this rare disease entity.
Bone Marrow ; Cyclophosphamide ; Daunorubicin ; Dendritic Cells* ; Dexamethasone ; Diagnosis ; Disease-Free Survival ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Hematologic Neoplasms ; Humans ; Korea* ; Liver ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Methotrexate ; Methylprednisolone ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases ; Retrospective Studies ; Skin ; Skin Manifestations ; Spleen ; Vincristine