Yasuo Katabira

Eccrine Syringofibroadenomatous Hyperplasia in a Patient with Bullous Pemphigoid: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

A 76-year-old man with multiple erythematous lesions on his palms and soles which appeared following bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the subject of this case report. The lesions were not raised above the normal skin level, and there were no nodules on the erythematous lesions. The lesions had the histologic appearance of eccrine syringofibroadenoma. This condition is considered to be not a true tumor but a hyperplasia of eccrine sweat ducts following recurrent subepidermal blister formation in BP.

The Inhibitory Effect of Selenium on Mice Inoculated with B16 Melanoma Cells

The influence of selenium dioxide on the in vitro and in vivo growth of transplantable B16 melanoma was studied. In the in vivo study, melanoma tissues showed a decrease in development of tumor growth and a tendency toward higher levels of free radical signal (ESR). Cultured B16 melanoma cells revealed a marked disturbance of cell growth especially in the solution with a high dose of selenium.

Induction of Pemphigoid Lesions in Neonatal Mice

In order to study the pathogenetic role of anti‐basement membrane zone antibodies (BMZ‐Ab) in bullous pemphigoid (BP), parenteral transfer of serum, heat inactivated serum, blister fluid, or IgG from three patients with BP into neonatal mice was carried out. BP‐like lesions developed in 6 of 8 mice receiving the serum from one of the patients. However, no lesions were observed in 100 other mice that were given serum, blister fluid or IgG from the other two patients or three healthy controls. Analysis of the characteristics of these injected materials revealed that, for induction of the BP‐like lesions in neonatal mice, it is necessary that both complement‐fixing BMZ‐Ab and components of complement are present. The role of inflammatory cells in the pathogenesis of BP could not be determined by the present experiments.

ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATION OF DYSKERATOTIC CELLS IN ACQUIRED ZINC DEFICIENCY

This paper describes the electron microscopic structure of dyskeratotic cells observed in cutaneous lesions of 3 cases with acquired zinc deficiency. Double‐zoned cytoplasm consisted of amorphous cell organelles and irregular tonofilaments occasionally containing lipid droplets and melanosomes. Small nuclei were seen in many dyskeratotic cells around the blister. Various degrees of alteration were noted in cells in erythematous lesions following the disappearance of all desmosomes. The halo formation of dyskeratotic cells with double‐zoned cytoplasm indicates an alteration in keratinocytes, which may be caused by superoxide radical anions resulting from inactivity of superoxide dismutase, a zinc‐dependent enzyme.

Genetic counseling for skin diseases. A statistical analysis of 182 cases.

A statistical study was carried out on 182 cases who seeked out genetic counseling about skin diseases. The size of the latent demand for the counseling was assessed to be as much as 3.0% of the outpatients. Most clients were in their twenties. A representative consultand was the patients child or sibling. The main diseases in question were cleft lip and palate (16%), nevus pigmentosus (12%), Recklinghausens diseases (8%) and psoriasis (8%). Estimation of the recurrence risk was impossible in 3%, approximate in 54% and accurate in 43%. This defective estimation is due to the insufficiency of the available genetic data, e.g. carrier frequency, penetrance rate, contraction rate by age, etc. The high-risk cases were found to be 36%. In 9 cases (5% of all the counselings) the client decided to avoid reproduction. In 30 cases (16%), the clients asked for counseling after having conceived or given birth to a consultand. They were thought to be too late from the standpoint of prophylaxis of inherited diseases. Our conclusion is that genetic counseling offers some measure of disease prevention and therefore will become an essential branch or dermatology in the future.

UVA Induced Darkening of Lower Epidermal Cells as an in vitro System of Immediate Pigment Darkening (IPD) and Mechanisms of IPD

Immediate pigment darkening (IPD), which is a skin tanning reaction induced by UVA or visible light irradiation, is generally thought to result from photo oxidation of pre‐existing melanin. Only a few in vitro systems useful for studying the detailed mechanisms have been developed. The purpose of this study is to present UVA‐induced darkening at the cell level in an in vitro system and clarify the mechanisms of IPD.