Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Results are presented establishing that epidermis accumulates vitamin A from serum retinolbinding protein (RBP). Strips of human breast skin (0.2–0.3-mm thick) were incubated in a serum-free medium. From the rate of glucose oxidation, the tissue was viable for at least 48 h at 32°C in 5% CO2 air. [3H]-Retinol-RBP (10-6 M) was added to the medium for 1–24 h, after which epidermis and dermis were split and separately extracted with hexane after saponification. [3H]-Retinol was isolated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Epidermis had 6–7 times higher affinity for [3H]-retinol than dermis. The uptake could be saturated by substrate and was inhibited with unlabelled retinol-RBP but not with serum albumin. Furthermore, although the uptake was temperature-dependent, it seemed independent of cellular energy production. The epidermal accumulation of [3H]-retinol was reduced by the filtering action of dermis. On the basis of these observations, an in vitro model for the delivery of vitamin A to human skin has been proposed.

1. Es gelingt, bei Mäusen intravenös injiziertes l-3,4-Dioxyphenylalanin (Dopa) makroskopisch (durch Bildung einer dunkelblauen Färbung) sowohl, als auch mikroskopisch in der Haut nachzuweisen, und zwar auf fermentativem Wege (durchTyrosinase) oder durch rein chemische Reaktionen (mitSilbernitrat, Albargin, Kaliumpersulfat). 2. Das injizierte Dopa läßt sich vor allem im mesodermalen Teile der Haut nachweisen. Ob es auch in die ektodermalen Bestandteile derselben übergeht, ließ sich nicht entscheiden. 3. Bei Anwendung der von uns angegebenen Technik (Trockengefrierschnitte, Tropfenmethode) zeigt sowohl die Haut albinotischer Tiere als auch die des Menschen eine bisher unbekannte, stark ausgesprochene, granuläre Reaktion mit Silbernitrat, die keinerlei Beziehung zur Melaninbildung hat. 4. Die unter 3 angegebene Reaktion beruht, wie die chemische Analyse ergibt, auf der Anwesenheit von Kohlehydraten mit Aldosecharakter. Es handelt sich, wie aus den dargestellten Osazonen hervorgeht, um Hexosen und Polyosen.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can activate the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and nuclear factor-κB (NFκB) pathways in skin cells. HaCaT cells are widely used as a primary keratinocyte substitute to study these pathways. However, like most squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), it contains a dysfunctional p53. It is unclear if HaCaT cells activate these signalling pathways similarly to SCC cells (Colo16) or to primary human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK). In this study, the UV activation (UVA, UVB, UVA + B, UVB + A) of p38 MAPK, JNK and NFκB pathways, and TNFα secretion by HEK, HaCaT and Colo16 cells were investigated. The signalling pathway activation was UV-type and dose-dependent with UVB + A radiation inducing a high p38 and JNK activation. HaCaT cells exhibited 2- to 4-fold higher activity of the p38 (771 % at 60 min) and JNK (794 % at 30 min) pathways following UVB + A radiation than did HEK cells (p38: 367 % at 15 min and JNK: 184 % at 30 min). While both HaCaT and Colo16 cells did not activate the NFκB pathway, Colo16 cells had a lower p38 and higher JNK activity than HaCaT cells. Irradiated HaCaT cells produced less TNFα (UVB: 3.5 pg/ml), while HEK cells produced the most (UVB: 1,296 pg/ml). When co-exposed to IL1α, irradiated HaCaT had the greatest fold of TNFα release (UVB: 16.2-fold, UVA + B: 8.9-fold and UVB + A: 6.1-fold). The pattern of activation and TNFα secretion of HaCaT cells mirrored that of Colo16 cells. It is likely that the presence of molecular alterations in HaCaT cells may be responsible for its different responses to that seen for HEK cells. The results of this study suggest caution in using HaCaT cells as a substitute for normal keratinocytes in investigating UV-induced cells signalling pathways.

Die oberflächlichen, durch das Epidermophyton interdigitale, Epidermophyton rubrum Castellani und Epidermophyton inguinale in Berlin in den Jahren 1952–1954 hervorgerufenen oberflächlichen Dermatomykosen werden mit den Verhältnissen des Jahres 1939 verglichen und im Rahmen einer Betrachtung der geographischen Verteilung der verschiedenen Pilze, den epidemiologischen Erhebungen in anderen deutschen Städten sowie in Großbritannien einschl. Nordirland und der Schweiz gegenübergestellt. Ein auffälliges Merkmal stellt die allgemein beobachtete zunehmende Ausbreitung des Epidermophyton rubrum mit seiner besonderen Affinität zur Nagelsubstanz dar. Seit 1939 hat im Hinblick auf die Stadt Berlin der Anteil dieses Pilzes an den Epidermophytien nicht zugenommen, was darauf zurückgeführt wird, daß zu diesem Zeitpunkt seine Ausbreitung bereits vollzogen war. Das Epidermophyton inguinale ist in der Berliner Pilzflora fast vollkommen verschwunden, während das Epidermophyton interdigitale seinen bereits früher dominierenden Anteil noch vermehrt und somit an epidemiologischer Bedeutung gewonnen hat. Auf die Ausnahmestellung der Entwicklung der Hamburger Verhältnisse wurde besonders hingewiesen, weil sich in dieser noch stärker als in Berlin fremden Einflüssen exponierten Stadt in einem Zeitraum von etwa 20 Jahren eine grundlegende Wandlung des epidemiologischen Spektrums vollzogen hat. Die Frage der ätiologischen Rolle der hefeartigen Organismen und einiger Schimmelpilze schien der Betrachtung wert, da diese im mykologischen Schrifttum eine zunehmende kasuistische Bearbeitung erfährt.

Alopecia areata incognita (AAI) is a type of diffuse hair fall with no confirmatory diagnostic test. The UL16 binding protein-3 (ULBP3) is ligands for natural-killer group 2, member D (NKG2D) receptor. It is a key regulator of both innate and adaptive immune responses. In the normal hair follicle, ULBP3 is turned off. However, different studies reported its high level in alopecia areata (AA). Therefore, this study was done to evaluate ULBP3 in AAI in comparison with telogen effluvium (TE), female pattern hair loss (FPHL), and normal hair. Biopsy specimens from 36 females suffering from AAI, 15 with FPHL, nine with TE, and ten healthy female controls were subjected to the immunogenetic detection of ULBP3 levels by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A high statistically significant increase in ULBP3 level in AAI patient group compared with FPHL, TE, and normal hair was detected. ULBP3 levels were positively correlated with the age and duration of the disease. Accordingly, ULBP3 may act as a confirmatory test for AAI. ULBP3 may be implicated in the disease pathogenesis, progression, and chronicity, and AAI may be a subtype of AA.

The effects of dithranol and its therapeutically inactive oxidation product, danthrone, on 12(S)-HETE binding to the human epidermal cell line SCL-II were studied. Dithranol (0.25–1 Μg/ml), in contrast to danthrone, induced a substantial decrease in 12(S)-HETE binding in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition occurred after a latency period of 6 h, reached its maximum at 18–24 h and slowly declined thereafter. At a concentration of 1 Μg/ ml, the drug led to an approximately 50% decrease in the number of specific high-affinity 12(S)-HEFE receptors (Bmax), whereas receptor affinity (Kd) showed no change. The down-regulation of 12(S)-HETE receptors on epidermal cells by dithranol may contribute to its antipsoriatic action.