Min Ju Choi

The effect of CD34+ cell-containing autologous platelet- rich plasma injection on pattern hair loss: a preliminary study

Background  Mobilized CD34+ cells in peripheral blood have angiogenic potential, which is an important factor in active hair growth. In addition, activated autologous platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) has been reported to induce the proliferation of dermal papilla cells.

Clinical effects of non-ablative and ablative fractional lasers on various hair disorders: a case series of 17 patients

Abstract Background and objectives: Both ablative and non-ablative fractional lasers have been applied to various uncommon hair disorders. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the clinical effects of fractional laser therapy on the course of primary follicular and perifollicular pathologies and subsequent hair regrowth. Materials and methods: A retrospective review of 17 patients with uncommon hair disorders – including ophiasis, autosomal recessive woolly hair/hypotrichosis, various secondary cicatricial alopecias, pubic hypotrichosis, frontal fibrosing alopecia, and perifolliculitis abscedens et suffodiens – was conducted. All patients had been treated with non-ablative and/or ablative fractional laser therapies. Results: The mean clinical improvement score in these 17 patients was 2.2, while the mean patient satisfaction score was 2.5. Of the 17 subjects, 12 (70.6%) demonstrated a clinical response to non-ablative and/or ablative fractional laser treatments, including individuals with ophiasis, autosomal recessive woolly hair/hypotrichosis, secondary cicatricial alopecia (scleroderma and pressure-induced alopecia), frontal fibrosing alopecia, and perifolliculitis abscedens et suffodiens. Conversely, patients with long-standing ophiasis, surgical scar-induced secondary cicatricial alopecia, and pubic hypotrichosis did not respond to fractional laser therapy. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that the use of non-ablative and/or ablative fractional lasers promoted hair growth in certain cases of uncommon hair disorders without any remarkable side effects.

Antifungal effects of a 1444-nm neodymium:Yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser on onychomycosis: a pilot study.

Investigations of laser- or light-assisted antibacterial and antifungal treatments have been introduced. In the present study, we investigated the antifungal activities of 1444-nm Nd:YAG lasers against onychomycosis by microbiologic analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Scraped toenails from 20 participants with mycologically confirmed onychomycosis were prepared on polystyrene weighing dishes and treated with a 1444-nm Nd:YAG laser. The samples were analyzed for the presence of colony-forming units (CFUs) and scanning electron microscopy was performed using an toenail treated with the 1444-nm Nd:YAG laser. The mean reduction rate achieved by treatment with a total energy of 300 J was 75.9% (range: 33.3–100), and by treatment with 450 J was 85.5% (range: 66.7–100). However, the difference in CFU reduction rates between the laser settings of 300 J and 450 J was not significant. Analysis by scanning electron microscope revealed numerous disintegrated spores on the lower portions of the nail plate treated with the 1444-nm laser, while the upper portion of the nail plate presented only a few small and greatly disintegrated fungal spores. Our results suggest that a Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 1444 nm has antifungal effects on onychomycosis. However, further investigations should be performed to determine the long-term clinical and microbiologic effects of this treatment.

Changing clinical expression of Behçet disease in Korea during three decades (1983–2012): chronological analysis of 3674 hospital‐based patients

Behçet disease (BD) is a chronic multisystemic vasculitis affecting blood vessels of any calibre or type. Recent evidence suggests that the clinical expression of BD is lessening.

Serum IgA reactivity against GroEL of Streptococcus sanguinis and human heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 in patients with Behçet disease

Background  Infectious agents, especially Streptococcus sanguinis and herpes simplex virus, have long been postulated as major triggering factors for Behçet disease (BD).

Both the sera of patients with Behçet’s disease and Streptococcus sanguis stimulate membrane expression of hnRNP A2/B1 in endothelial cells

Objectives: Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2/B1 has been identified as a target antigen of anti-endothelial cell immunglobulin (Ig)A antibodies in patients with Behçet’s disease (BD). The aim was to investigate the effects of the sera from BD patients and Streptococcus sanguis on the subcellular expression of hnRNP A2/B1 in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs). Method: The sera of BD patients and healthy controls (HC) as well as cultured S. sanguis were used to stimulate HDMECs. Subcellular fractions were obtained from stimulated HDMECs and were subjected to immunoblot analyses. The distribution of hnRNP A2/B1 was investigated by immunocytochemistry and direct immunofluorescence study was performed in biopsy specimens of mucosal ulcers from BD patients. Results: BD patients’ sera increased the membrane expression of hnRNP A2/B1 in HDMECs after 12 and 24 h of incubation compared with HDMECs incubated with endothelial cell culture media and HC sera. S. sanguis also increased hnRNP A2/B1 in the cellular membrane. hnRNP A2/B1 mRNA level was also significantly upregulated in HDMECs incubated with BD patients’ sera and S. sanguis. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated marked expression of hnRNP A2/B1 in the cytoplasm and cellular membrane of HDMECs incubated with BD patients’ sera or S. sanguis. In addition, direct immunofluorescence experiments revealed the co-localization of serum IgA antibodies and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against hnRNP A2/B1 in tissue sections from ulcers of BD patients. Conclusions: Our data indicate that both the sera of BD patients with active disease and S. sanguis infection are inflammatory stimuli that can induce membranous hnRNP A2/B1 expression in HDMECs.

Immunopathogenic Role of Herpes Simplex Virus in Behcet's Disease.

The role of viral infections, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, in the pathogenesis of Behçets disease (BD) has been investigated for many years. HSV has been detected in peripheral blood leukocytes, saliva, and genital ulcers of patients with BD. Various cell adhesion molecules on cultured endothelial cells have been induced by HSV in a TNF-α dependent manner. In addition, a BD-like animal model was developed by inoculating ICR mouse earlobes with HSV, and antiviral treatment was effective in improving BD-like symptoms in this model. Still, there are several incompletely characterized proteins that possess antiviral properties and are being investigated as mediators of viral infection-related chronic inflammatory reactions. Although the role of HSV in the pathogenesis of BD remains to be fully established, recent research findings regarding HSV in BD have expanded our understanding of the disease and will hopefully lead to the development of more effective therapeutic agents in the near future.

Immunopathogenic characterization of cutaneous inflammation in Behçet’s disease

Background  Behçet’s disease (BD) is a recurrent multisystemic inflammatory disease characterized by recurrent oral aphthous and genital ulcers, ocular lesions and cutaneous lesions. Although many studies of cytokine levels in sera of BD patients have been conducted, there are only limited number of studies about the cytokine expression and cellular infiltration in the BD‐related skin lesions.

Treatment of periorbital syringoma by the pinhole method using a carbon dioxide laser in 29 Asian patients

Abstract Background: Pinhole method has been used to treat various types of scars and dermal tumors by making multiple small holes in target tissues of the deep dermis using an ablative 10,600-nm carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. Objectives: We prospectively investigated the efficacy and safety of using a CO2 laser to treat periorbital syringomas via the pinhole method. Methods: A total of 29 patients with periorbital syringomas were treated with two sessions of CO2 laser treatment using the pinhole method at two-month intervals. Laser fluences were delivered under the following settings: pulse duration of 200 μs, frequency of 50 Hz, on time of 0.04, and an off time of 0.01. Results: Among the 29 patients, 13 patients (44.8%) presented with small discrete papular syringomas, 10 (34.5%) had plaque-type lesions, and six (20.7%) had mixed lesions. Evaluation of the clinical results at 2 months after the second treatment session revealed marked clinical improvement (51–75%) in 10 of the 29 patients (34.5%), moderate clinical improvement (26–50%) in eight (27.6%), near-total improvement (≥ 75%) in seven (24.1%), and minimal improvement (0–25%) in four patients (13.8%). Conclusions: Our observations indicated that application of the pinhole method using a CO2 laser exerts positive therapeutic effects in Asian patients with periorbital syringomas.

Behçet's disease in concurrence with psoriasis.

Background  Behçet’s disease (BD) and psoriasis are chronic inflammatory diseases characterized by multisystemic vasculitis and epidermal hyperplasia respectively. Although it has been found that the pathogenesis of BD and psoriasis share common perspectives, reports of patients who have both diseases in concurrence are rare.