Basement membrane zone gene expression by fibroblast cultures was examined by molecular hybridizations with human sequence specific cDNAs corresponding to type 1V procollagen and laminin subunit polypeptides. Northern transfer analysis with total RNA revealed the presence of specific mRNA transcripts for al (IV) and a2 (1V) chains of type 1V procollagen as well as Bl and B2 chains of laminin. Laminin A chain mRNAs were not detected using the same RNA preparations. The molecular size of al (1V) and a2 (1V) procollagen mRNA revealed 6.8kb and 6.7kb, respectively. The molecular size of Bl chain of laminin revealed 5.6kb, and B2 chain revealed 8.2 and 5.5kb polymorphic transcripts. In slotblot analysis using densitometer, steady-state levels of type IV procollagen and laminin mRNAs indicated that they were in relatively low abunclance, as compaired with type I procollagen mRNA. Quantitative levels of al (IV) and laminin Bl chaii mRNAs were more abundant than those of a2 (IV) and laminin B2 mRNAs. The mRNA ratio of al (IV)/a2 (lV) and laminin Bl/B2 were 1.9 and 1.5, respectively. These results demonstrate evidence for differential regulation of the expression of different basement membrane zone molecules during the formation of basement membrane.
Basement Membrane ; Collagen Type I ; Collagen Type IV* ; DNA, Complementary ; Fibroblasts* ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Laminin* ; Peptides ; Procollagen ; RNA ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Urolithiasis*

BACKGROUND: Recent clinial observations have suggested that colchicine, which is in frequent use in gout can affect the conneciive tissue metabolism in skin and other ti.ues. OBJECTIVE: This study suggest that further development of colchiine might provide a novel means of modulating collagen gen expression in patients with fibrotic disease. METHOD: We examed the effect of colchicine on the expres, on of collagen, fibronectin and collagenase gene by skin filroblast culture hy Nort.hern and dot-blot iybridization. Result : The rate of transcription of genomic DNA corresponding o type I collagen and libvonectin was reduced in colchicine-treated cultures but collagenase was not. reduced. Canclusion : The microti.ikile disruptive agent, colchicine, reduced the expression of type I collagen and fibronectin in a dose-(lependent manner. This st.udy suppor that colchicine is one of the promising antifibrogenic drugs curvently being tested as a treatment, of hun an fibrotic disease.
Colchicine* ; Collagen Type I ; Collagen* ; Collagenases ; DNA ; Fibroblasts ; Fibronectins ; Gene Expression* ; Gout ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Skin

Squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip can be developec by a number of underlying etiologic factors, the most outstanding of which is solar irracdiation, and is considerably more aggresive and has a much higher incidence of metastatic spread. Its early detection and effective treatment afford a high cure rate. Cryosurgery is a simple, efficient and effective method of treatment of skin cancer and is now a widely accepted modality for the treatment of these lesions. Two patients(67-year-old male and 57-year-old female) were presented with solitary or two masses on the lower lip without regional lymphadenopathy. These two cases showed clinical and histopathologic findings of squamous cell carcinoma. They were successfully treated by cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen without any significant side effects.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; Cryosurgery ; Cryotherapy ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lip* ; Lymphatic Diseases ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nitrogen* ; Skin Neoplasms

No abstract available.
Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E*

Leukemia cutis is defined as infiltration of the skin by malignant leukocytes that have originated from the bone marrow. The cutaneous eruption of leukcmia may be divided into the specific and non-specific lesion (leukemid). These may occur separately or in combination. True leukemia infiltrations of the skin consist of nodular, diffuse, or plaque-like infiltrations with swelling, macules, papules, ecchymoses, palpable purpura, erythroderma, and ulceration. A 55-year-old man presented with multiple as mptomatic dark-brown nodules on the whole body with recurrent gingival bleeding. The patient developed seoticemia and died 6 months after the onset of the disease.
Bone Marrow ; Dermatitis, Exfoliative ; Ecchymosis ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Leukemia* ; Leukocytes ; Middle Aged ; Purpura ; Skin ; Ulcer

Histoid leproma usually occur in pat.ients with lepromatous leproy who have had relapsed after being undcr treatment(usually sulfones) for a long time and who have shown variable improvement. A 56 year old female patient who had been suffering from lepromatous leprosy and had been treated which clapsone relatively regularly for approximately 28 years had a history of several shiny rice grain t.o peanut sized nodules on the face and right flank. Histopathologic examination of a specimen taken from a nodular lesian revealed a well circirmscrihed nodule composed mainly of spindle-shaped cells and epithe:ioi 1 cells on the upper and mid-levmis, and granuloma composed of epithelioid cells, multinucleated wait cells and foamy histiocytes on the lower dermis. In AFB stain, numerous acid-fast bacilli were scatt red dermis and epidermis, especially stratum corneum. This study opplied a polymease chain reaction(PCR) on sections of biopsy tissues and peripheral blood of pat.ient. Positive amplification of a 530 bp fragment was deteated not only in the lesion tissues but also in the per ipher al blood.
Biopsy ; Edible Grain ; Dermis ; Epidermis ; Epithelioid Cells ; Female ; Granuloma ; Histiocytes ; Humans ; Leprosy, Lepromatous ; Middle Aged ; Mycobacterium leprae* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*

OBJECTIVES: Some emotional components, such as self-esteem, depression and anxiety, have been reported to be associated with paranoia in non-clinical population and schizophrenia patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between self-esteem and paranoia in healthy controls, in ultra-high risk for psychosis and schizophrenia patients. METHODS: 34 subjects with recent onset schizophrenia, 36 subjects with ultra-high risk for psychosis, and 44 healthy volunteers participated in this study. A detailed assessment was made of the paranoia, self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. RESULTS: In all three groups, there were a negative correlation between paranoia and self-esteem, and positive correlations between paranoia and depression and anxiety. In healthy control, lower self-esteem showed a trend to predict higher paranoia, and in ultra-high risk for psychosis, this trend tern on statistically significant level, and in recent onset schizophrenia group, this correlation was disappeared. CONCLUSION: The individual who have lower self-esteem showed higher paranoia tendency under delusional level, but after formation of persecutory delusion, the tendency was disappeared. This result supports the hypothesis that persecutory delusions are a defense against negative affective process.
Animals ; Anxiety ; Charadriiformes ; Delusions ; Depression ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Paranoid Disorders* ; Psychotic Disorders* ; Schizophrenia*

We present a case of lymphangioma circumscriptum in a 17 year-old girl according to tihe clinical and histopathological findings. This case is unusual in that lesions developed on the vulva and thigh without preceding lymphedema. Our patient had a plaque of grouped vesicle-like papules resembling frog's apawn on The both labia majora of vulva and several scattered, skin tag like soft papules on the right upper thigh of theree years duration. Histopathologic findings showed variable sized, dilatated lymphatic channels lined by single layer of normal endothelial cells confined to the only upper dermis.
Adolescent ; Dermis ; Endothelial Cells ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphangioma* ; Lymphedema ; Skin ; Thigh ; Vulva*

Eccrine spiradenoma is clinically characterized by a solitary, movable, tender nodule occurring most frequently on the ventral surface of the upper body. A striking symptom is paroxysmal pain. Occasionally multiple lesions may be present and may occur in a linear or zosteriform pattern. A 48-year-old female was seen with painful or tender, nomal skin colored, firm nodules distributed in a zosteriform pattern on the right thigh for 10 years, which had been slowly growing. The histopathological features were quite a characteristic of eccrine spiradenoma. We report a rare case of zosteriform network of eccrine spwadenoma occurred on the right thigh.
Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Skin Pigmentation ; Strikes, Employee ; Thigh