cMLS and M phenotypes among Streptococcus pyogenes isolates in Chennai.
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Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
Biomedical subjects
S E Jacob
Publications and source records attributed to S E Jacob.
Infliximab monotherapy in psoriasis: a case of rapid clinical and histological response.
BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is a common chronic relapsing, inflammatory, hyperproliferative skin disorder with genetic predisposition. There is currently no experimental model for psoriasis and the pathogenesis is not fully understood. Psoriatic plaques have been shown to contain increased levels of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy with infliximab has been shown to be highly effective in recalcitrant psoriasis. METHODS: We evaluated the efficacy and timeline of histological changes in a psoriatic plaque following infliximab infusion. A patient with severe recalcitrant plaque psoriasis was clinically and histologically assessed for improvement. RESULTS: We found rapid clinical improvement with infliximab accompanied by histopathological changes. The earliest effects were seen on neutrophils and lymphocytes whereas keratinocyte normalization was not evident at the early stages. CONCLUSION: Infliximab is not only an effective agent in the treatment of psoriasis but appears to have a very rapid onset of action.
Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
Topical application of imiquimod 5% cream to keloids alters expression genes associated with apoptosis.
Keloids are benign mesenchymal tumours, usually present at and extending beyond the margins of sites of previous injury. It is reported that keloids display aberrant expression of apoptotic genes: TGFB1 is activated, whereas caspase 8 and 3 are not, thus indicating a block upstream in the apoptosis cascade in keloids. Interferon-alpha 2b normalizes the excessive synthesis of collagen, glycosaminoglycans and collagenase by keloidal fibroblasts, reduces recurrences following keloid excision, and enhances the expression of native p53 and apoptosis. Imiquimod, a rapid and potent inducer of interferons locally at the site of application to the skin, reduces recurrences following keloid excision and alters gene expression of markers of apoptosis in basal cell carcinoma cells. We investigated the effects with respect to the expression of apoptotic genes in keloidal tissue compared with nontreated controls of imiquimod 5% cream applied topically to keloids. Total RNA was extracted from excised keloidal tissue, cDNA probes synthesized and then hybridized to gene-specific cDNA fragments spotted on membranes. The expression levels of 96 genes involved in apoptosis, relative to cyclophilin expression, were compared in the imiquimod-treated and untreated groups. The mean ratio of expression, relative to cyclophilin of caspase 3 and DFFA were significantly enhanced. Caspase 3 was significantly downregulated and DFFA was significantly upregulated in the group of imiquimod-treated keloids (P < 0.05) compared with the untreated group of keloids. Although imiquimod is capable of altering the expression of these markers of apoptosis in keloids, their role, if any, in the therapeutic response of keloids to imiquimod requires further investigation.
Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
[Hand dermatitis].
Hand dermatitis is a common skin disease that often has a chronic and relapsing course. Several subtypes of hand dermatitis have been described. In this review, we describe the clinical characteristics of each form of hand eczema, laboratory tests helpful in the diagnosis, and treatment options for this condition.
Hand Dermatoses↗