Chemerin and the recruitment of NK cells to diseased skin

Natural killer (NK) cells play a major role in the initial control of many viral pathogens and in the rejection of tumors. Consistent with their roles as immune sentinels, NK cells are found in inflamed skin, including lichen planus, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) lesions. In oral lichen planus lesions, the recruitment as well as intradermal colocalization of NK cells and pDC (plasmacytoid dendritic cells) appear to be mediated by chemerin, a recently identified protein ligand for chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1), a chemoattractant receptor expressed by both cell types. Dendritic cells can regulate NK cell activity, and NK cells can regulate DC-mediated responses. Since chemerin was recently implicated in recruitment of pDC to psoriatic skin, in this work we determined whether chemerin facilitates interactions between NK and pDC in psoriatic plaques through controlling influx of NK cells to diseased skin. We demonstrate that circulating NK cells from normal donors as well as psoriasis and AD patients respond similarly in functional migration assays to chemerin. However, differences in the distribution of NK cells and pDC in skin lesions suggest that recruitment of both NK cells and pDC is unlikely to be controlled solely by chemerin

DNA structures decorated with cathepsin G/secretory leukocyte proteinase inhibitor stimulate IFNI production by plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and neutrophils are detected in psoriatic skin lesions and implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. pDCs specialize in the production of type I interferon (IFNI), a cytokine that plays an important role in chronic autoimmune-like inflammation, including psoriasis. Here, we demonstrate that IFNI production in pDCs is stimulated by DNA structures containing the neutrophil serine protease cathepsin G (CatG) and the secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), which is a controlling inhibitor of serine proteases. We also demonstrate the presence of neutrophil-derived DNA structures containing CatG and SLPI in lesional skin samples from psoriasis patients. These findings suggest a previously unappreciated role for CatG in psoriasis by linking CatG and its inhibitor SLPI to the IFNI-dependent regulation of immune responses by pDCs in psoriatic skin

The Skin as a Mirror of Internal Disease: Comorbidities and Epidemiology of Acne Vulgaris and Adult Female Acne – A Cross-sectional Study and Current State of Knowledge

Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition affecting an increasing number of adults and might be a clue to identifying systemic disease. Objective of this study is assessment of the demographic and clinical characteristic, including comorbidities, of patients with acne with a special focus on adult female acne (AFA). This cross-sectional study analyzed the medical records of 354 patients with acne (323 outpatients and 31 hospitalized). Data concerning patient age, sex, lesions morphology and distribution on body areas, duration of the disease, Body Mass Index, and dermatologic and systemic comorbidities were collected. 61% of all patients were female, 45.37% of women were classified as AFA. The median age of patients with acne was 24 years and 32.5 years for AFA. The face was the most commonly affected area; patients with AFA had lesions on their back than less frequently non-AFA. Predominant eruptions were pustules and papules. 38.7% of patients had concomitant systemic chronic disease, 15.25% had an endocrinologic disorder, and 6.21% had thyroid gland dysfunction. Women with AFA had endocrinologic disorders more frequently (P=0.002), whereas cutaneous signs of hyperandrogenism were observed less frequently than in the non-AFA group (P=0.034). AFA possess distinct clinical features and it should raise suspicion towards possible underlying endocrinologic disturbance

Th1 and Th2 types cytokine production by the activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCsPBMC_{s}) from atopic dermatitis patients : relationship to the clinical parameters and Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization

Recent studies have shown that local up-regulation of Th2 cytokines and handicap of $IFN-\gamma$ and $TNF-\alpha$ production under inflammatory conditions increase susceptibility of AD skin to microorganism. The aim of this study was to determine whether different density of S. aureus colonizing two different sites (lesional and non-lesional skin areas), and clinical condition of AD patients have any impact on Th1 and Th2 cytokine profiles. Cell culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from AD patients and control group were collected following SEB stimulation. The number of bacteria was determined by colony forming unit method. $IFN-\gamma$, $TNF-\alpha$, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 was evaluated using specific ELISA and Human Th1/Th2 Cytokine Cytometric Bead Array. The patients were characterized by age, sex, severity scoring of AD, and serum eosinophil cationic protein. Twenty three (62.2%) among 37 of AD patients were positive for S. aureus cultured from both sites of the skin. SEB-stimulated $PBMC_{s}$ from patients with high density of S. aureus on involved (log>7.14) and uninvolved (log>5.48) skin had significantly reduced amount of $IFN-\gamma$ and $TNF-\alpha$ production than normal non-AD individuals (P<0.001 and P<0.05, respectively). Although the production of $IFN-\gamma$ and $TNF-\alpha$ by AD patients was significantly lower than healthy controls, the production of IL-4 and IL-5 was not increased in SEB-stimulated cultures. The severity scores, but not the density of S. aureus, negatively correlated to $IFN-\gamma$ production (P<0.01). S. aureus skin colonization in AD patients although correlated to the severity of symptoms have an impact on patient's T-cell responsiveness to SEB

Ocena wpływu zabiegów krioterapii ogólnoustrojowej na wybrane wskaźniki skóry pacjenta z atopowym zapaleniem skóry (AZS)

Case report: The case report regards a 33-year-old male patient living in a big city. The patient has been suffering from atopic dermatitis since infancy.  Results: SCORAD index evaluating the AD intensity level changed after 15 whole-body cryotherapy sessions. Before the treatments, the patient achieved 42.9 points on the above-mentioned scale. After the 15th treatment the sum of points amounted to 36.8, and after 3 weeks since the therapy was discontinued — 33.9 points.  Changes in the level of hydration of both healthy skin and skin with AD symptoms were also observed.  Conclusion: Due to these properties, the hypothesis has been put forward that systemic cryotherapy can be a complementary method in the treatment of AD.Opis przypadku: Opis przypadku dotyczy 33-letniego pacjenta mieszkającego w dużym mieście. Pacjent od niemowlęctwa cierpi na AZS. Badany uczestniczył w 15 zabiegach krioterapii ogólnoustrojowej.  Wyniki: Wskaźnik SCORAD oceniający poziom nasilenia AZS zmienił się po zakończeniu badań. Pacjent przed zabiegami uzyskał 42,9 punktu w powyższej skali. Po 15. zabiegu suma punktów wyniosła 36,8, a po 3 tygodniach od zakończenia terapii — 33,9. Zaobserwowano również zmiany w poziomie nawilżenia naskórka zarówno skóry zdrowej, jak i skóry z objawami AZS.  Wniosek: Ze względu na uzyskane wyniki postawiono hipotezę, że krioterapia ogólnoustrojowa może być metodą uzupełniającą leczenie w terapii AZS.