The histological, electron microscopic, and immunological findings in a case of eccrine porocarcinoma are described. The tumors were verrucous, wart‐like lesions and nodules which ulcerated secondarily. They were located on the leg. The patient died in a few months from dissemination of the disease. The tumor examined was epidermotropic and mainly composed of a clear cell proliferation. Ultrastructurally, the cells showed large, nucleolated nuclei, numerous mitochondria, dilated endoplasmic reticulum, single desmosomal plaques, sparse tonofibrils in the perinuclear region, multivesicular dense bodies, and interdigitating cytomembranes. A few dark cells were present. No Langerhans cells, indeterminate dendritic cells or melanocytes were observed. The tumor cells were labeled with KL 1 monoclonal antikeratin antibody. The secretory cells of uninvolved eccrine sweat glands in the close vicinity of the tumor and in the perilesional skin were strongly labeled with D 47 monoclonal antibody reacting with the secretory cells of human eccrine sweat gland, whereas the tumor cells remained unlabeled. Our study results showed that the origin of this tumor was not the secretory portion of the gland but rather its excretory portion.
Ten patients with alopecia areata (plaque type and totalis type) were treated with oral photochemotherapy. Successful results were obtained in 7 cases. No side effects were noted. Hair growth was related to the energy delivered and was not dependent on the duration of the disease. No relapses occurred after discontinuation of the treatment. The hypothesis concerning the mechanisms of hair regrowth are discussed.
Epidermal nuclear IgG deposition in clinically normal skin may occur in patients with scleroderma or scleroderma-like features. In order to evaluate the mechanisms of the fixation, Fab fragments of anti-RNP IgG antibodies, obtained after papain digestion, were incubated for increasing times with various substrates: human skin, human mononuclear cells, cultured human fibroblasts and rabbit lip. Our results showed that anit-RNP IgG-Fab fragments could penetrate most of the living cells of human skin and rabbit lip and, to a lesser degree, mononuclear cells and poorly cultured fibroblasts. No ability to fix was found either with anti-RNP IgG-Fe fragments or with anti-nDNA/DNP IgG-Fab. It was concluded that anti-RNP IgG could penetrate viable epidermal and non-epidermal cells and that surface Fe receptors must play a minor role in the cellular penetration of antibodies.
The identification of mononuclear cells extracted from 12 basal cell carcinomas has been carried out by means of various assays such as the E rosette test, FITC anti-Ig conjugates and peroxidase conjugates viewed at an ultrastructural level. The relative quantities of B and T cells have been determined as well as the morphology of the extracted cells. It was found that the T/B ratio is close to that of a delayed-type reaction to tuberculin, suggesting a possible identical immune mechanism, and also that the morphological appearance of some tissue lymphocytes differs from that of circulating lymphocytes due to the presence of both membrane and cytoplasmic Ig.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.