Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Arata

Publications and source records attributed to J Arata.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's syndrome) associated with extreme infiltration of eosinophils.

A remarkable infiltration of eosinophils was observed in skin biopsy specimens in two cases of Sweet's syndrome. One patient was a 29-year-old woman, whose clinical and histological features included associated asthma, a prior respiratory tract infection, red plaques, blood eosinophilia, and a dense dermal infiltrate of neutrophils and eosinophils, without evidence of vasculitis. The other patient was a 61-year-old man characterized by a fever, red plaques, erythema nodosum-like lesions, hepatic dysfunction, a dermal infiltrate of neutrophils accompanied by eosinophils, and a subcutaneous prominent infiltrate of eosinophils. Clinical and histological evidence supported the diagnosis of Sweet's syndrome in both of these patients. While the literature describes eosinophil infiltration in this disease, extreme eosinophil infiltration could be misleading in the diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Generalized vitiligo preceded by a generalized figurate erythematosquamous eruption.

The pathogenesis of vitiligo is still unknown. We saw a patient with vitiligo who may support an immunological pathogenesis for this disease. A 77-year-old man developed sharply demarcated, irregularly shaped, figurate, erythematosquamous plaques on most of the areas of his body. Histologically, lymphocytic cells invaded the lower epidermis. The lesions were gradually replaced by vitiliginous macules of the same configuration. Histologically, there were no active melanocytes in the vitiliginous lesions. We believe that the present patient presents an extraordinary example of inflammatory vitiligo and may provide an indication of an immunological pathogenesis for vitiligo.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Nodular cutaneous lupus mucinosis associated with atrophie blanche-like lesions in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND: Multiple, pale, atrophic depressions surrounded by erythema developed on nodular cutaneous mucinosis lesions in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. OBSERVATIONS: A 22-year-old man developed multiple nodular erythematous lesions on the upper arms, back, and chest during the course of systemic lupus erythematosus. Histologically, these nodular lesions were diagnosed as lupus mucinosis. Three years later, the patient began to have atrophic depressed lesions on several nodular mucinosis lesions. These lesions did not develop on normal appearing skin. A biopsy specimen from one of these lesions showed occlusion of blood vessels with thickening of their walls and perivascular dense lymphocytic infiltration. No leukocytoclastic vasculitis was found. Hyaline degeneration was present in some parts of the fatty tissue. CONCLUSION: The atrophic depressed lesions were atrophie blanche-like and induced by the vascular occlusion. Since these lesions developed only on the lupus mucinosis lesions, mucin deposition and vascular changes may be closely related.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Antinuclear antibodies in patients with atopic dermatitis and severe facial lesions.

BACKGROUND: In adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), the presence of autoantibodies such as anti-IgE and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) has been demonstrated. The patients may have altered immune regulation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of ANA in AD patients with severe facial eruptions and to evaluate the differences between ANA-positive and ANA-negative AD patients. METHODS: ANA, blood eosinophil count, total serum IgE levels, specific IgE antibody to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, disease duration, photosensitivity and association with respiratory allergic diseases were checked in 89 AD patients. RESULTS: Twenty-three (25.8%) AD patients showed positive ANA at titers ranging from 1:40 to 1:640, and the incidence of positive ANA was 12.1% in controls. Twenty-five (71.4%) of 35 AD patients with positive ANA at titers ranging from 1:20 to 1:640 were females. CONCLUSION: Adult AD patients with severe facial lesions should be examined for serum ANA. Particularly in female and photosensitive AD patients with severe facial lesions, serum autoantibodies have to be carefully investigated to differentiate from autoimmune diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Infra-auricular fissures in atopic dermatitis.

Retro-auricular or auricular dermatitis in atopic dermatitis (AD) is common and important for the diagnosis of AD in infancy and even in adulthood. Particularly, "infra-auricular fissures", acute eczematous changes like fissures at the adhesive junction of ear lobes, seem to be prominent features for the diagnosis of AD. Of 137 patients with AD, 81.8% showed present or past existence of infra-auricular fissures, but only one of the 30 controls. Of the 46 patients with severe AD, 98% had infra-auricular fissures, compared to 74% in those with moderate and mild AD. Our findings suggest that infra-auricular fissures are important for the diagnosis of AD and should be cited in a list of criteria for the diagnosis of AD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Peculiar facial erythematosquamous lesions in two siblings with cyclical summer improvement and winter relapse: a variant of keratosis lichenoides chronica?

A 7-year-old girl had erythematous hyperkeratotic papules and plaques that improved in summer and recurred in winter since the age of 4 months. She had had irregular, ridge-like erythematosquamous lesions on the arms with the same seasonal variation. The lesions on the arms improved with age. Light and electron microscopic examination showed marked degeneration of keratinocytes and prominent apoptosis. Her older brother had a similar but milder dermatosis. We believe these cases may represent a variant of keratosis lichenoides chronica.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1993

Interaction of Staphylococcus aureus cells and silk threads in vitro and in mouse skin.

Staphylococcus aureus cell suspension was epicutaneously inoculated on the back skin of cyclophosphamide-treated mice with silk stitches and these sites were occluded. Biopsy specimens were taken from three mice at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after inoculation and were examined by electron microscopy. Fibril-like structures (glycocalyx) were seen around the S. aureus cells at 1 h. At 3 h, they had extended towards the silk threads. There were microcolonies on the surfaces of the silk threads and at 12 h the S. aureus cells were enclosed in membrane-like structures. The electron density of the membrane-like structures increased over time. After ruthenium red staining, the membrane-like structures and the fibril-like structures were stained positive, suggesting that these structures contain polysaccharide components. With a combination chemotherapy using clarithromycin and ofloxacin, S. aureus cells in the membrane-like structures were degenerated, whereas the use of clarithromycin or ofloxacin alone had little effect. Chlorhexidin gluconate and povidone iodine were effective if they were able to reach the biofilm. The fibril-like structures appeared in vitro only in the presence of silk threads, and were enhanced by the presence of mouse plasma. These structures did not form with formaldehyde-killed S. aureus cells. Thus, S. aureus cells may interact with foreign bodies to form biofilms, thereby evading the effect of antibacterial agents.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Production of staphylococcal impetigo-like lesion on human skin explants in culture.

We produced a highly reproducible experimental impetigo-like lesion in normal human skin explants in culture. The three Staphylococcus aureus strains we used were an isolate from a human impetigo (E strain), an isolate from a human furunculosis (N strain) and ATCC 29213 strain. E strain was a protein A positive, coagulase type V, producer of exfoliative toxin (ET) and beta-toxin. N strain was a coagulase type IV, ET non-producer and alpha-toxin positive. ATCC 29213 was a coagulase type II, ET non-producer, and alpha-, beta-, and delta-toxin positive. Normal human skin samples were obtained from 8 adult skin surgery patients. One specimen was obtained from human oral mucosa. Small pieces of the samples were slightly abraded on the epidermal surface and cultured on lens paper rafts floating in Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium in an atmosphere of 5% CO2 and 95% air. Fifty microliters of the respective bacterial suspensions were applied to the epidermal surfaces of the explants. The inoculated surfaces were then occluded under sterile plastic plaster. Histologically, the formation of intraepidermal blisters at the granular layer level with acantholytic cells was observed in all 8 of the skin specimens at 10 h after inoculation with E strain. The specimen from an oral mucous membrane did not produce similar changes with any of the three S. aureus strains. Neither N or ATCC strains developed bullae in the epidermis at 6, 10 or 18 h after inoculation. Immunofluorescent examination revealed that the inner surfaces of blisters in the epidermis were lined with anti-ETA antibody. Under the electron microscope, the blisters of the specimens which had been inoculated with strain E contained only a few S. aureus cells. These results suggest that blister formation at the granular layer level with acantholytic cells is mediated by ET action at the granular layer level and occurs without invasion of lymphocytes or neutrophils, or the involvement of any serum components. Therefore, under appropriate conditions, impetigo could develop even in adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Association of generalized granuloma annulare with autoantibodies.

Granuloma annulare is a degenerative disease of the skin histopathologically characterized by focal degeneration of collagen with a surrounding infiltrate of lymphoid cells, histiocytic cells, and multinucleated giant cells. Immunological abnormalities such as delayed-type hypersensitivity and vasculitic origin are suspected in the pathogenesis. We describe three patients with generalized granuloma annulare, in whom autoantibodies, including antinuclear antibody, antithyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibody, and immune complex, were detected.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Prominent telangiectasia associated with marked bleeding in CREST syndrome.

A 64-year-old woman with CREST syndrome developed prominent telangiectases mimicking hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) of Osler-Rendu-Weber. We have been following her since she first came to us with discrete telangiectatic mats and Raynaud's phenomenon 11 years ago. Telangiectatic lesions have been seen on her larynx and esophagus in addition to commonly affected sites. She has experienced spontaneous epistaxis and marked bleeding from the lesions on her lips, oral mucous membrane, and soles. This case illuminates new aspects of telangiectasia in CREST syndrome.

Calcinosis↗
PubMed1993

Furuncle-like lesions in mouse experimental skin infections with Staphylococcus aureus.

The pathomechanism of furuncle has not been fully elucidated and should be investigated using an appropriate animal model. We observed the invasion of Staphylococcus aureus cells into hair follicles in mice, using a strain of S. aureus isolated from human furunculosis. Light microscopical examination revealed that S. aureus cells attached to corneocytes at 6 h after inoculation, proliferated around the ostium of the hair follicle and invaded the hair follicle at 12 h after inoculation. Electron microscopically, S. aureus cells attached to the horny layer of hair follicle with long, thick, string-like structures. At 12 h after inoculation, S. aureus cells invaded in a file between the inner root sheath and outer root sheath. We could not induce direct invasion from the follicle ostium. Our findings suggest that there are some regions of the hair follicle through which S. aureus cells can relatively easily invade deeper into the follicle. The most important question is what confines the invasion and inflammation of S. aureus to the hair follicle. We suggest that there is some locus minoris for invasion into hair follicles by S. aureus, such as an interface between the two sheaths.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The use of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the identification and quantification of urinary iminodipeptides in prolidase deficiency.

It has been reported that the urine of patients with prolidase deficiency contains various iminodipeptides with a carboxyl-terminal proline (hydroxyproline). These iminodipeptides have hitherto been detected indirectly by acid hydrolysis or enzymatic digestion, followed by amino acid analysis. In the present study, it was shown that X-Pro could be distinguished from Pro-X when the iminodipeptides were analysed directly by liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (LC/API-MS), with scanning of the protonated molecule ions ([M+H]+). The same procedure also successfully quantified urinary iminodipeptides from patients with prolidase deficiency. A quantitative investigation of two siblings with prolidase deficiency revealed that the patient with severe clinical symptoms excreted more iminodipeptides than the other who did not have serious symptoms. LC/API-MS also revealed iminodipeptides (Gly-Hyp and Pro-Hyp) in the urine of the mother of the patients and in normal volunteers. Patients excreted much more Pro-Hyp than normal volunteers, whereas no quantitative differences were found between the mother and controls. In patients, the excretion of large quantities of X-Pro is due to their very low prolidase activity towards this type of substrate. In the erythrocytes of patients, prolidase activity towards X-Hyp was extremely low; even in the mother and normal volunteers, it was remarkably low in comparison with the activity against X-Pro.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with granular lymphocytic leukemia in its terminal stage.

A 79-year-old woman had cutaneous T cell lymphoma. After a long clinical course, numerous tumors and an enormous increase in peripheral granular lymphocytes without lymphadenopathy developed suddenly. Surface markers and DNA analysis of the tumor cells from her skin and peripheral blood and electron microscopic examination suggested that granular lymphocytic leukemia had developed in the terminal stage of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. To our knowledge this association has not been reported previously.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Production of experimental staphylococcal impetigo in mice.

We produced a staphylococcal impetigo model by epicutaneous inoculation in mature mice. A strain isolated from a human impetigo was used. Five-week-old female mice (ddy-strain) were used with and without pre-treatment by cyclophosphamide (Cy) (2 mg/mouse) for 5 days. The back skin of mice was shaved by a razor blade and slightly abraded by sand paper. Bacterial suspension (1.4 x 10(7) CFU/0.05 ml) was applied on the abraded areas which were then occluded under sterile plastic plaster. Although intraepidermal blisters developed in non-Cy-treated mice, massive neutrophil infiltration obscured the changes there. Development of subcorneal bullae in Cy-treated mice inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus was first observed at 3h and enlargement of bullae was apparent at 12 h after inoculation. The bullae produced in Cy-treated mice contained numerous S. aureus bacilli. Electronmicroscopically, S. aureus cells invaded the horny layer at 1/4 h. A clear halo was seen between S. aureus cells and horny cells. S. aureus cells attached to surrounding horny cells by fibril-like structures. The halo-like spaces became larger, coalesced and then developed into an intraepidermal blister. Our new method to produce human impetigo-like blister in Cy-treated adult mice may contribute to disclosing the mechanisms of blister formation in epidermis by S. aureus. Due to the thin structure of mouse epidermis, only specimens taken earlier than 24 h after inoculation were considered appropriate.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Role of fibronectin in the adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to dermal tissues.

Staphylococcus aureus has a fibronectin receptor on its surface. Fibronectin seems to play a role in the initiation and modification of infection with S. aureus. We studied the role of fibronectin in the binding of S. aureus (clinical isolates) to dermal tissues in mice, and the relationship between the fibronectin binding ability of S. aureus and clinical features of S. aureus skin infections. Mice were inoculated with S. aureus incubated with gold-particles bound fibronectin and skin specimens were taken for electron microscopic examination. The number of gold particles surrounding the S. aureus cells decreased with time, with none detected 4 h after inoculation. At both 5 min and 1 h after inoculation, gold particles were only found on the free surface of S. aureus cells and not in the interface between S. aureus cells and fibroblasts. Fibronectin-bound gold particles were bound more extensively to S. aureus strains isolated from furunculosis or furuncle than to those from bullous impetigo. These results suggest that the matrix fibronectin on the surface of the fibroblasts of mice contributes to the adherence of S. aureus to the fibroblasts, and that the number of fibronectin binding sites on S. aureus cells is related to the degree of local invasiveness.

Animals↗