Mechanism of Hair Loss from the Point of View of Epidermal Cell Polarity

The epidermis and hair follicle epithelium have a polarized stratified architecture, and epidermal homeostasis is maintained by stem cell and progenitor populations present in the basal layer of the interfollicular epidermis and in different compartments of the hair follicle. Atypical protein kinase Cs (aPKCs—a subgroup of the PKC family) are localized to tight junctions and regulate the apico-basal epithelial polarity in simple epithelia. In the stratified epidermis, aPKCs are expressed in the basal layer and are implicated in the regulation of oriented cell division by localizing to the apical pole of basal cells during mitosis. Mutant mice harboring epidermis-specific deletion of aPKCλ showed progressive hair loss, abnormal hair cycling, an increase of asymmetric cell division in the epidermis and hair follicles, and a gradual decrease in the hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) population. Lineage tracing analysis has demonstrated that mutant HFSCs lose their stemness and become more committed proliferating progenitors. Moreover, the expressions of quiescence-inducing factors (Bmp6 and Fgf18) were suppressed in the mutant hair follicles. These results clarify a novel function of aPKCλ in maintaining the quiescence of HFSCs and suggest that epidermal cell polarity is a new clue to understanding the pathogenesis of hair loss

Symmetrical Skin Lesions on the Gluteal Region in a Patient with Anti-Laminin-332 Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), previously called cicatricial pemphigoid, is a rare subepidermal immunobullous disorder that primarily affects the mucous membranes (1,2). MMP is divided into two major subtypes, anti-BP180-type MMP and anti-laminin-332 (previously called laminin 5 or epiligrin) MMP. Anti-laminin-332 MMP is known to be associated with malignant tumors (3), which may cause overexpression of autoantibodies and induce autoimmunity to laminin-332 (4). MMP primarily affects the mucous membranes, and widespread skin lesions are rare. In MMP, circumscribed skin lesions have been previously reported as occurring on the head, neck, and upper trunk (5). We report a case of anti-laminin-332 MMP presenting with symmetrical skin lesions characteristic of MMP on the weightbearing areas of the gluteal regio

Symmetrical Skin Lesions on the Gluteal Region in a Patient with Anti-Laminin-332 Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid

Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), previously called cicatricial pemphigoid, is a rare subepidermal immunobullous disorder that primarily affects the mucous membranes (1,2). MMP is divided into two major subtypes, anti-BP180-type MMP and anti-laminin-332 (previously called laminin 5 or epiligrin) MMP. Anti-laminin-332 MMP is known to be associated with malignant tumors (3), which may cause overexpression of autoantibodies and induce autoimmunity to laminin-332 (4). MMP primarily affects the mucous membranes, and widespread skin lesions are rare. In MMP, circumscribed skin lesions have been previously reported as occurring on the head, neck, and upper trunk (5). We report a case of anti-laminin-332 MMP presenting with symmetrical skin lesions characteristic of MMP on the weightbearing areas of the gluteal regio

Fetal Goitrous Hypothyroidism due to Maternal Thyroid Stimulation-Blocking Antibody: A Case Report

Most fetal goitrous hypothyroidisms are reportedly caused by the maternal use of an antithyroid drug or fetal dyshormonogenesis. However, fetal goitrous hypothyroidism due to the transplacental passage of maternal thyroid stimulation-blocking antibody (TSBAb) is extremely rare. A woman at 28 weeks of gestation was found to have a fetal goiter by ultrasonography. Because the maternal serum showed hypothyroidism with an elevated titer of TSBAb, levothyroxine sodium was administered. The patient delivered a male infant, 3,412 g, with a goiter at term. Umbilical blood revealed primary hypothyroidism with increased TSBAb, and the infant was given levothyroxine sodium. After a month, neonatal thyroid function and TSBAb levels became normal. Attention should be paid to possible fetal hypothyroidism when a fetal goiter is observed to avoid impaired mental development of the neonate.ArticleFETAL DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY. 28(4):220-224 (2010)journal articl

Fetal Goitrous Hypothyroidism due to Maternal Thyroid Stimulation-Blocking Antibody: A Case Report

Most fetal goitrous hypothyroidisms are reportedly caused by the maternal use of an antithyroid drug or fetal dyshormonogenesis. However, fetal goitrous hypothyroidism due to the transplacental passage of maternal thyroid stimulation-blocking antibody (TSBAb) is extremely rare. A woman at 28 weeks of gestation was found to have a fetal goiter by ultrasonography. Because the maternal serum showed hypothyroidism with an elevated titer of TSBAb, levothyroxine sodium was administered. The patient delivered a male infant, 3,412 g, with a goiter at term. Umbilical blood revealed primary hypothyroidism with increased TSBAb, and the infant was given levothyroxine sodium. After a month, neonatal thyroid function and TSBAb levels became normal. Attention should be paid to possible fetal hypothyroidism when a fetal goiter is observed to avoid impaired mental development of the neonate.ArticleFETAL DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY. 28(4):220-224 (2010)journal articl

Maculopapular Drug Eruption Caused by Apalutamide: Case Report and Review of the Literature

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CONSERVED EXPRESSION OF SOX13 ORTHOLOGS IN EARLY VERTEBRATE DEVELOPMENT

The skin and nervous tissue is derived from the ectoderm^. In Xenopus, ectodermal explants (animal caps) from blastula embryos show high tissue plasticity and can differentiate into a variety of tissues in vitro. Exploiting this property, we performed a functional screening for factors that can neuralize ectodermal explants, and isolated Xenopus Sox13 (XSox13), a member of the Sox (Sry-related high-mobility-group box) transcription factor family. During Xenopus embryogenesis, XSox13 mRNA is expressed in the entire ectoderm at blastula stages and in the organizer region at gastrula stages. Its expression becomes localized to the neural tube during neurulation and then to somites at tailbud stages.　Mouse Sox13 mRNA shows similar expression patterns to the Xenopus homolog during embryogenesis : Sox13 is expressed in the node, an equivalent to the Xenopus organizer, at the neural fold stage, exclusively in the nervous tissue at early-mid somite stages, and then showed a segmental expression in the somites at the late somite stage. We next generated Sox13-LacZ-knock-in mice, and examined the expression of mouse Sox13 in adult tissues by X-gal staining. In contrast to the expression during embryogenesis, Sox13 is scarcely expressed in the central nervous system in adult.　Moreover, Sox13-deficient mice showed no apparent abnormalities in neural development.　These results suggest that Sox13 expression in early development is conserved in Xenopus and mouse and Sox13 plays a redundant role during mouse neural development