Hideyuki Tabata

Cutaneous localization of endothelin-1 in patients with systemic sclerosis: immunoelectron microscopic study

Background Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) has some relation to the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and Raynauds phenomenon. This study was performed to determine the localization of ET‐1 in patients with SSc.

Electron-microscopic study of sclerodermatous chronic graft-versus-host disease

Background. Sclerodermatous chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (SC‐GVHD) resembles systemic scleroderma (SSD) closely, both clinically and histologically. Our purpose was to try to define the morphologic differences of collagen fibers between SC‐GVHD and SSD.

Correlation between diffuse pigmentation and keratinocyte-derived endothelin-1 in systemic sclerosis.

Abstract

Cutaneous electron microscopic study of sclerodermia diffusa in childhood

A 9‐year‐old Japanese boy presented in July 1994 with gradual skin sclerosis of the extremities and Raynauds phenomenon of 10 months duration. He had been treated with oral prednisolone after the diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at the pediatric clinic. He had skin sclerosis with luster on his trunk and extremities (Fig. 1A). His skin score was III and IV, with the exception of his face (I, normal; II, edema; III, edematous sclerosis; IV, skin sclerosis; V, skin atropy). His hands showed finger contracture and he had reticular pigmentation on the back of both hands (Fig. 1B). He had no symptoms of digestive and respiratory organs.

CEREBRIFORM INTRADERMAL NEVUS

A 47-year-old Japanese woman presented with a brown papillomatous nodule (size 21 x 41 mm) on her lower abdomen that was present at birth and slowly increased in size (Fig. 1). It became gradually elevated following a pregnancy. She was not mentally deficient. The surface of the nodule appeared cerebriform, although the granules of the surface were fine in scale. The nodule was excised completely. Histologically, in addition to diffuse nevus cells in the upper and lower dermis, hyperplasia of sebaceous glands was observed (Fig. 2). Clinical and histologic findings were consistent with cerebriform infradermal nevus (CIN).

Analyzing scanning microscopic study of contents of a giant comedo

Analyzing scanning microscopic study of contents of a giant comedo An 84-year-old Japanese woman presented with a domelike nodule (size 17 X 13 mm) on her right inguinal area that appeared more than 10 years before the first examination, and slowly increased in size. Clinically the surface of the nodule was white and translucent. Through a small opening on the top of the nodule, a brown hard content was seen (Fig. ia). From the clinical findings we diagnosed this nodule as a giant comedo or an epidermal cyst. As the patient could not hope for total excision at her age, we just took the mass of sebum away (Fig. ib), and used an antibiotic ointment. Histologic findings of this mass were eosinophilic lamellar keratin-like materials as seen in the epidermal cyst. The same lamellar structure was also observed in scanning electron microscopy. In order to analyze the composition of contents, we operated an X-ray analyzing scantling microscope, XGT2000V (Horiba, Kyoto), and observed the distribution of minerals and metals (Mg, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe). As a result of fluorescent X-ray mappings, S and Cl were observed almost uniformly. K, Ca, and Fe were maldistributed, and Mg, Si, and P were not found.