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Biomedical subjects

Neil K Gibbs

Publications and source records attributed to Neil K Gibbs.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Psychologic distress in polymorphous light eruption and its relationship to patients' beliefs about their condition.

BACKGROUND: Skin disease can cause psychologic difficulties, but information is lacking on the emotional impact of the common photosensitivity condition, polymorphous light eruption (PMLE). OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the emotional impact of PMLE, and its relationships with patients' beliefs about their PMLE and health-related variables. METHODS: Patients with PMLE who had attended a hospital dermatology department were mailed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised during the summers of 2002 to 2004. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by 150 of 302 patients. Emotional distress attributable to PMLE was found in more than 40% of individuals. The emotional impact of PMLE was principally predicted by patients' beliefs about their condition (>50% of the variance), particularly regarding its consequences, whereas health-related variables played a lesser role. Women associated more severe consequences with their PMLE (z = -2.27, P = .02) and were more emotionally distressed (z = -2.17, P = .03) than men. LIMITATIONS: Hospital-based patients with PMLE may not be representative of the community. CONCLUSIONS: Psychologic factors should receive greater attention in PMLE management.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Selenomethionine inhibits ultraviolet radiation-induced p53 transactivation.

BACKGROUND: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages the cellular DNA of skin cells. In response, wild-type p53 protein accumulates in irradiated cells and the stabilized and transactivated protein can then induce genes involved in cell cycle arrest in G1, or in the initiation of apoptosis. Selenium protects cells from UVB-induced cell death and apoptosis by mechanisms which are unclear, although recent reports suggest that selenium protects against UV-induced cell damage by inducing DNA repair enzymes and transactivating p53. METHODS: We examined whether selenomethionine could protect human skin cells from UV radiation-induced p53 transactivation, using a pRGCDeltafos-lacZ p53-dependent reporter construct stably transfected in an amelanotic melanoma cell line (Arn-8) which expresses wild-type p53. Cells were pretreated with or without selenomethionine and then irradiated with broadband UVB (approximately 270-350 nm); 0-30 mJ/cm2 from a Phillips TL100 W/12 lamp. RESULTS: The percentage of cells with transcriptionally active p53 increased dose dependently up to 20 mJ/cm2 UVB. Treatment with 50 microM selenomethionine for 24 h both pre- and post-irradiation, significantly diminished p53 activation by 30-43% across the UV dose range (P=0.0085, n=5 independent experiments) and decreased UV-induced p53 protein accumulation as assessed by Western blotting. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that selenomethionine inhibits broad band UVB-induced p53 transactivation and protein accumulation and that this effect correlates with reported protective effects of selenium against UV-induced DNA damage.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2005

An action spectrum for the production of cis-urocanic acid in human skin in vivo.

Urocanic acid (UCA) is present at millimolar concentrations in mammalian epidermis and undergoes photoisomerization from the naturally occurring trans-isomer to the cis-isomer on exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Cis-UCA causes downregulation of various immune responses in mouse and human experimental models and has been proposed as both a chromophore and a mediator of UV-induced immune suppression. In this study, the wavelength dependence from 260-340 nm for trans to cis-UCA photoisomerization in human skin was analyzed in five healthy volunteers. The resulting action spectrum demonstrated maximal cis-UCA production in the UVB spectral region of 280-310 nm. This spectral peak is red-shifted to longer wavelengths compared with the erythemal action spectrum. The cis-UCA action spectrum can be used to predict the ability of sunscreens to protect against UVR-induced cis-UCA formation and may assist in explaining discrepancies between sunscreens' abilities to protect against erythema and photoimmunosuppression.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Treatment of polymorphic light eruption.

Polymorphic light eruption (PLE) is a highly prevalent photosensitivity disorder, estimated to affect 11-21% people in temperate countries. Typically, PLE appears as a recurrent pruritic eruption comprising papules and/or vesicles and/or plaques, which occurs on photo-exposed skin sites following sun exposure, and which heals without scarring. Commoner in females, the aetiology is uncertain, although there is evidence of an immune basis. We perform a review of the prophylaxis and treatment of this condition. While sun protection, corticosteroids and desensitization phototherapy are the mainstays of management, a range of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory agents are reported.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗