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Biomedical subjects

C Hermier

Publications and source records attributed to C Hermier.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Localized cutaneous cryptococcosis successfully treated with ketoconazole.

A 27-year-old female recipient of a renal allograft, treated with systemic steroids and azathioprine, developed progressive cutaneous lesions (an ulcer, a nodule, and an abscess). Histopathologic and tissue-culture examination of the skin lesions led to the diagnosis of cutaneous cryptococcosis. A description of the light and electron microscopic features of the cutaneous lesions is reported. A thorough visceral investigation failed to detect systemic involvement. The patient was treated with oral ketoconazole (400 mg daily) for 6 months. A gradual healing of the lesions was obtained, and cultures performed 3 months after the onset of treatment failed to show Cryptococcus neoformans. No relapse or dissemination has so far been observed.

Adult↗

Eccrine syringofibroadenoma. Immunohistological study of a new case.

Eccrine syringofibroadenoma is a rare tumor considered to originate from the excretory portion of the eccrine sweat gland. A new case of this lesion, whose acrosyringeal differentiation was underlined by an immunohistological study using antibodies to keratin and involucrin, is reported herein.

Adenofibroma↗

Hyperkeratosis lenticularis perstans (Flegel's disease). A light and electron microscopic study of involved and uninvolved epidermis.

Lesional as well as uninvolved skin were studied by light and electron microscopy in 1 case of hyperkeratosis lenticularis perstans (Flegel's disease). The main ultrastructural finding was a morphological alteration of lamellar (Odland) bodies. A review of the literature on the ultrastructure of Flegel's disease is made, and the significance of the ultrastructural findings is briefly discussed.

Epidermis↗

[Satellite vasculitis of B or non-A non-B hepatitis. Diagnostic value of a provocation test by intradermal injection of histamine].

The histo-pathological lesions of hypersensitivity vasculitis (HV) consist in an inflammatory reaction to circulating immune complexes deposited on the vascular endothelium. A provocation test by intradermal injection of histamine was used to demonstrate HV in patients with chronic hepatitis. Three groups of patients were studied: 16 with chronic hepatitis and HV, 22 with chronic hepatitis without HV, 4 control subjects. Skin biopsy was performed before and 3 hours after intradermal histamine. The following markers were looked for in the serum, skin and liver of all patients with chronic hepatitis: HBV (HBs Ag and HBe Ag, anti-HBs, anti-HBe and anti-HBc in the serum, HBs and HBc Ag in the liver); non-A non-B (non-A, non-B Ag and antibody, anti non-A non-Bc in the serum, non-A, non-Bc Ag in the liver). Viral antigens were found in healthy skin in 2 cases (1 chronic A hepatitis, 1 vasculitis), and after injection of histamine in 9 cases (4 chronic A hepatitis, 5 vasculitis). Viral antigens were found on skin biopsy in 2 patients with negative sera. Significant skin changes after histamine were detected only in HV (75 p. 100) even in the absence of cutaneous vasculitis (6/12 positive cases). An intradermal histamine provocation test is a simple, non-invasive method for diagnosing HV.

Hepatitis, Chronic↗

A comparative study of adenylate cyclase activity and progesterone synthesis in ovine corpora lutea stimulated by different chemical derivatives or natural analogs of ovine LH.

The adenylate cyclase activation by ovine native LH, natural analogs (porcine LH, hCG) and chemical derivatives of LH (methylated, ethylated, isopropylated, guanidinated) was studied in purified plasma membranes of ovine corpora lutea, including the regulatory effects of guanyl 5'-yl imidophosphate (Gpp(NH)p) and Mg2+. The Ka app. for native LH (about 15 nM) was independent of Gpp(NH)p and Mg2+. Similar maximal activation of the enzyme was obtained by using ovine LH or natural analogs, but differences were remarked concerning the Ka app. values of these hormones. Porcine LH was equipotent with ovine LH; on the contrary, hCG exhibited a lower Ka app. value (3 nM). All chemical derivatives (Me-LH, Et-LH, Iso-LH and Gu-LH) exhibited Ka app. higher than native (about 2- to 4-fold), but similar maximal activation. No modification was observed in the regulatory effects of Gpp(NH)p and Mg2+ on the adenylate cyclase activation as a consequence of structural modifications of the hormone. A comparison of the steroidogenic activity on intact luteal cells and the adenylate cyclase activation ability on purified plasma membranes of the derivatives mentioned above evidenced some interesting discrepancies. The drop in adenylate cyclase activation potency of Me-LH was not reflected in its steroidogenic activity (Me-LH was equipotent with native LH); on the contrary, the capacity of Gu-LH to stimulate adenylate cyclase was not so much decreased as was its steroidogenic potency which was almost abolished.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Properties of an LH-stimulable adenylate cyclase in plasma membranes of interstitial cells from rat testis.

We studied the effect of guanyl nucleotides, divalent cations and luteinizing hormone (LH) on the regulation of adenylate cyclase (AC) in partially purified plasma membranes obtained from isolated interstitial cells of the rat testis. AC was activated to different degrees by guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and GMP-P(NH)P; the latter was about 10 times more active than the former. Enzyme activation by GTP was biphasic; the nucleotide was rapidly hydrolysed by membrane preparation. Activation by GMP-P(NH)P was hysteretic, requiring about 20-30 min to reach steady state; this lag-time was not dependent on nucleotide concentration. GDP beta S did not stimulate AC activity. Delayed addition of GDP beta S to a GMP-P(NH)P-stimulated enzyme at 17 min resulted in a drop of AC activity although the activity 40 min later was higher than that obtained by mixing both nucleotides at the time the reaction was initiated. This result was incompatible with the formation of a truly irreversible, active form of the enzyme in the presence of GMP-P(NH)P. The effect of LH on AC depended on guanine nucleotides and Mg2+. LH and GMP-P(NH)P acted synergically. Dose-response curves showed that apparent LH affinity was not modified by the presence of GMP-P(NH)P. LH accelerated the slow rate of activation of GMP-P(NH)P. The stimulation of AC by LH was closely dependent on Mg2+ concentrations; LH diminished the apparent Mg2+ requirement. Plasma membranes from rat testicular interstitial cells are an excellent model for the study of AC regulation by LH.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

[Ito's hypomelanosis. Review of the literature apropos of 3 cases].

Initially described as incontinentia pigmenti achromians, Ito's hypomelanosis is a congenital disease characterized dermatologically by depigmented maculae arranged in a specific pattern. These maculae appear suddenly, unheralded by an inflammatory process, and are arranged on the limbs as lines and on the trunk as whirlwinds or mottled cakes. Other abnormalities, notably neurological, ophthalmic or musculoskeletal may be associated with this spray-like depigmentation of the skin. We report here three cases of this disease, which is probably more common than the scarcity of cases hitherto published would suggest. Case no. 1. A 9-year-old boy presented since the age of 5 with generalized convulsive fits predominant on the right side. Neurological examinations between fits were negative. IQ, FO and CT scans of the brain were normal. During the first months of life, the child had developed a spray-like depigmentation on the right half of his back and on the anterior and posterior aspects of his right arm. Case no. 2. A 2-year-old girl was examined for a cutaneous depigmentation which had developed when she was about 3 months' old and had progressively extended from her left knee to her left hypochondrium. Case no. 3. An 8-year-old girl presented with mental retardation and myopia, but also with a spray-like depigmentation on the left part of her chest. The skin lesion had been noticed by her parents after she had exposed herself to the sun in a tropical country. Histological examination performed in the first two patients showed some degree of hypopigmentation of the epidermis without pigmentary incontinence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Child↗

The discriminant dopamine antagonist property of benzamides is observed at various times after their systemic or intracerebroventricular administration.

The cataleptogenic effect or the antagonism of apormorphine-induced behaviour (climbing, sniffing, licking and yawning) shown by haloperidol, (+/-)sulpiride and (+/-)amisulpride were determined at different times after their intraperitoneal or intraventricular administration. After intraperitoneal injection, the ED50 or ID50 of haloperidol was similar for all the behavioural responses. On the other hand, sulpiride and amisulpride were effective on climbing and yawning in smaller doses than on sniffing, licking and catalepsy. The property of amisulpride to antagonize climbing at smaller doses than sniffing was still found whether this benzamide derivative was injected 30, 90, 150 or 240 min before testing. After the intraventricular administration of neuroleptics, a dissociated antagonist efficacy appeared for haloperidol, but that of sulpiride and amisulpride became much more marked than after their intraperitoneal injection. Amisulpride antagonized climbing in smaller doses than sniffing, whether administered intraventricularly 15, 30 or 120 min before testing. These results indicate that the dissociated dopamine antagonist efficacy of benzamides is long lasting and is observed even when the passage across the blood-brain barrier is avoided (i.c.v. route).

Animals↗

[Steroidogenic action of 2 analogs of ovine LH on cells isolated from ovine corpus luteum].

Lysine residues appear to play an important role in the biological activity of luteinizing hormone or lutropin (LH). Some derivatives obtained by chemical modification such as N-methylated LH exhibit the same hormonal activity than LH in the different steps of the mechanism of steroidogenesis. Some others, on the contrary, preserve the hormonal activity only at some steps. In this work was investigated the action of ovine LH and some derivatives on isolated cells prepared from ovine corpora lutea. Guanidinated LH (which is able to bind to LH receptors in Leydig cells but whose steroidogenic potency is very low) exhibits no binding or steroidogenic activity in the female (sheep or rat). As a consequence guanidyl LH can act as an inhibitor of LH action in the male (Leydig cells).

Animals↗

Effects of antimicrotubular agents in cAMP production and in steroidogenic response of isolated rat Leydig cells.

In dispersed rat Leydig cells, colchicine was found to stimulate basal cAMP production and testosterone secretion in a dose and time-dependent manner, but to a lesser extent than LH. However, these drugs are unable to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity in plasma membranes isolated from these cells. The amount of testosterone secreted at 150 min under the influence of colchicine and LH added simultaneously was not different from the amount produced during stimulation by LH alone. It is only after exposure of the cells for 1 hr to colchicine that the accumulation of cAMP in response to LH was inhibited; furthermore, both intracellular and medium testosterone accumulation in response to the hormone were reduced. Similar effects were observed with two other alkaloids, vinblastine and podophyllotoxin. The three drugs also inhibited the stimulation of testosterone secretion by 8-Br-cAMP or choleratoxin. These studies suggest that the state of microtubule polymerization and/or tubulin can influence the process of steroidogenesis in rat Leydig cells.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗