Gun-Yoen Na

Correlation of clinical features and skin barrier function in adolescent and adult patients with atopic dermatitis

Background  Xerotic changes in atopic skin are considered to be related to a decrease in the water permeability barrier. Whether abnormal skin barrier function is the main cause of atopic dermatitis (AD) or a secondary change of the disease is still controversial. Noninvasive bioengineering methods, including the measurement of the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and water capacitance, have been commonly used to evaluate skin barrier function.

Isolation and characterization of outer root sheath melanocytes of human hair follicles

Background  Outer root sheath melanocytes (ORSM) are not yet routinely cultured and their biology is not known in detail because of their relatively low numbers in the hair follicle and their limited proliferative capacity in in vitro culture in routine media.

Upregulation of the NNP-1 (novel nuclear protein-1, D21S2056E) gene in keloid tissue determined by cDNA microarray and in situ hybridization

Background  A keloid results from excessive collagen deposition, the cause of which remains elusive. A thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of keloid tissue can help determine the most appropriate treatment strategy.

Epidermolytic Hyperkeratosis as an Incidental Finding in Drug‐Induced Acne

To the Editor: Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis (EH) is a pathological term applied to epidermal changes characterized by perinuclear clear spaces of various sizes primarily in the stratum granulosum and spinosum, a thickened granular zone with coarse keratohyalin-like granules, and an overlying compact hyperkeratosis (1). It is observed as an incidental finding in a variety of conditions. We recently observed EH as an incidental finding in corticosteroidor cyclosporin-induced acne. A 36-year-old man abruptly developed numerous acneiform eruptions with some hyperpigmentation on the face, which lasted about two weeks. Eight months prior to this, he was diagnosed as acute myelocytic leukemia, and it relapsed after complete remission with chemotherapy. Then conditioning chemotherapy with busulfan and cyclophosphamide, allogenic bone marrow transplantation, and administration of cyclosporin as the posttransplantation immunosuppressant were performed. Thereafter he developed erythematous confluent macules and papules over his entire body, which was diagnosed as acute graft-versushost disease, grade 3. During one week of high dose immuosuppressant including corticosteroid and cyclosporin, numerous acneiform eruptions appeared (Fig. 1). We took a skin biopsy under the impression of corticosteroid-induced acne or a peculiar feature of graft-versus-host disease. The biopsy specimen showed intradermal dilated follicles and typical epidermolytic hyperkeratosis in the epithelium of cystically dilated infundibulum in addition to overlying surface epidermis adjacent to cystic dilatation (Figs. 2, 3). There were several scattered dermal melanophages in the upper dermis and mild fibrosis of the dermis around cystic dilatation. The histologic features of EH are associated with various skin diseases such as bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroThe Journal of Dermatology Vol. 32: 686–687, 2005