Transforming growth factor-beta s (TGF-beta s) are a family of growth factors with inhibitory effects on epithelial cell proliferation. Their effects are mediated by two interacting receptors, of which type I (T beta R-I) mediates signal transduction after interaction with type II (T beta R-II) carrying the TGF-beta ligand. We have studied the expression of T beta R-I and T beta R-II in psoriatic and normal human skin by using polyclonal rabbit antisera and immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed an intense immunoreactivity for both receptors in the basal and often also suprabasal layer of normal and non-lesional psoriatic epidermis. In contrast, all psoriatic lesions studied lacked detectable immunoreactivity of either receptor in the epidermis. The results suggest that lack of TGF-beta-mediated growth inhibition by down-regulation of TGF-beta receptor expression may play an important part in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
A prospective study was conducted to determine the effects of maternal smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy on the birth weight of fetuses in an unselected study population. Several confounding factors were taken into account. The main factors associated with an increase of birth weight of both sexes were gestational age at birth and parity. Both maternal smoking and maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy had the effect of decreasing the birth weight of female fetuses, whereas smoking, but not alcohol, had a decreasing effect on birth weight of male and female fetuses.
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