Journal of Skin and Stem Cell
Volume:6 Issue: 1, Mar 2019

Alopecia Areata (AA) is an immune system disease that invades anagen Hair Follicles (HFs) and shows multifactorial etiology. One of the essential histopathological features of AA is a lymphocytic intrusion that envelops HFs. Soluble forms of Endothelial (E), Lymphocytic (L), and Platelets (P)-selectins are known markers of persistent bothering. There are limited examinations for the assessment of serum levels of soluble E-selectin, L-selectin, and P-selectin in patients with AA.

We assessed serum levels of soluble E-selectin and L-selectin in patients with in association with the control group to determine their role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

The study included 30 patients with AA and 10 healthy subjects who served as controls. Blood samples were taken from all patients and controls. The serum levels of soluble E-selectin and L-selectin were determined with the Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method.

Higher levels of sE-selectin and sL-selectin were found in AA patients than in controls. There was a significant relationship between the higher serum levels of sE-selectin and the increased size of lesions with time. There was a significant positive correlation between the serum levels of sE-selectin and sL-selectin and the percentage of hair loss.

This study showed that sE-selectin and sL-selectin may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of AA and might open a way to future treatments for this disease

Androgenetic Alopecia is a chronic form of hair loss affecting both male and female; 20% of Caucasian men and 40% of women, respectively. Plasma Rich Platelet (PRP) is a blood plasma with higher platelet concentration. It seems that in androgenetic alopecia, growth factors have an important role in transformation and development of terminal hair to vellus hair. The growth factors in PRP can affect this process.

This was a case control study that was performed on 120 patients with grade II and III androgenetic alopecia, based on the Hamilton-Norwood classification system and grade 1 to 5 female pattern alopecia. Participants were randomly divided into two groups of 30 patients. The first group was treated with Finastride and the second underwent PRP treatment; with a group of 60 participants who received placebo. Follow-up was performed using macroscopic photography and Pull test base line, monthly for three months, and finally three months after PRP-treatment for patients who received PRP.

A total number of 120 participants enrolled in this study; 28 patients in the PRP group, 26 patients in the Finastride group and 60 patients in the control group. The results of one month follow up showed that hair growth and hair loss reduction were not significantly improved in the PRP group compared to the Finastride and control groups (P ≥ 0.05). Significant differences were observed in results of progression of hair growth and reduction of hair loss between groups after three and six months (P value: 00.)

PRP-treatment is a novel therapeutic approach. The effective results of PRP-treatment might be due to this eagerness. Furthermore, the time duration of this procedure is short, which is an important factor for the patients since most of the participants are young men who do not tend to undergo long-time treatments, such as Finastride consumption and Minoxidil application.

The principal role of epidermal keratinocytes (KCs) in inducing and maintaining eczematous dermatitis has been rather neglected.

The study aimed to assess the expression of Fas receptor (FasR) and Fas ligand (FasL) in the skin of eczematous dermatitis patients to examine T-cell mediated KC apoptosis.

The population included 35 patients with eczematous dermatitis, as well as 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The cases group included 13 eczema, five atopic dermatitis (AD) and 17 contact dermatitis (CD) patients. Tissue levels of FasR and FasL were estimated using a quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction.

FasR and FasL were upregulated in the cases group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Moreover, FasR and FasL were upregulated in the eczema cases compared to the cases with CD and AD (P = 0.001). On the contrary, there was downregulation of FasR and FasL in the CD cases in comparison to the cases having eczema and AD (P = 0.001).

The study concluded that the upregulation of FasR and FasL may be involved in the pathogenesis of eczema through induction of KC apoptosis. This might help in the future use of anti-apoptotic therapy for prevention and treatment of eczematous dermatitis

Human skin gas is known as traces of gas emanating from the human skin. Exogenous chemicals such as toluene may be released from the skin surface when absorbed into the body. However, dermal emission of toluene has not been fully determined in relation to inhalation exposure.

This study aimed to characterise the mechanism of toluene emanating from the skin surface of healthy volunteers in relation to inhalation exposure.

Dermal emission flux of toluene was determined in healthy volunteers employing a passive flux sampler and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The dermal emission of toluene occurs when toluene is absorbed by inhalation. The half-life obtained from the decrease in the dermal emission flux suggested the time-course of the dermal emission corresponds to that of the blood concentration. The whole-body emission rate of toluene was estimated to be 9.9% of the uptake rate by inhalation exposure. This suggests the toluene is excreted approximately 80% through urine, 7% - 14% by exhaled air, and 10% from the skin surface.

This demonstrates that dermal emission is a newly discovered route of excretion of toluene from the human body and that dermal toluene might indicate the individual biological susceptibility to inhalation exposure to toluene.

The bark oil of Dipterocarpus alatus Roxb. ex G. Don (resin tree) has been used for the treatment of ulcerated wounds in Ayurvedic medicine. However, information is still scarce about D. alatus extract and its constituents.

This study aimed to examine the antibacterial and wound healing effects of D. alatus crude extracts against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in a superficial skin infection using a tape-stripping mouse model.

Different parts (bark, leaves, twig, wood, and oleo-resin) of D. alatus were used for extraction. Crude extracts with two pure compounds (α,β-gurjunene and dipterocarpol) were examined for antibacterial activity against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA in vitro. The in vivo antibacterial activity against MRSA was examined in a tape-stripping mouse model of superficial skin infection by evaluating transepidermal water loss (TEWL), colony counts from wound culture swabs, and H&E staining.

Dipterocarpus alatus twig extract showed the lowest MIC (250 µg/mL) and MBC (500 µg/mL) against MRSA among extracts from other D. alatus parts. In addition, α,β-gurjunene showed lower MIC (250 µg/mL) and MBC (250 µg/mL) against MRSA than dipterocarpol. In vivo, D. alatus twig extract significantly reduced the number of MRSA recovered from superficial wounds to levels comparable to the non-infected control group on the second day. Oleo-resin, D. alatus wood extract, α,β-gurjunene, and dipterocarpol also significantly reduced the number of MRSA. Moreover, D. alatus twig extract and dipterocarpol healed infected wounds at rates comparable to the non-infected control group. From H&E staining of wounds, fibrin accumulation and neutrophil infiltration were attenuated in mice treated with D. alatus twig extract and dipterocarpol.

Dipterocarpus alatus twig extract and dipterocarpol possess antibacterial and wound healing properties against MRSA-induced superficial skin infection in mice