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Biomedical subjects

S Brenner

Publications and source records attributed to S Brenner.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Pemphigus and pemphigoid-like effects of nifedipine on in vitro cultured normal human skin explants.

BACKGROUND: A variety of drugs have been implicated in the onset and exacerbation of pemphigus and bullous pemphigoid. The demonstration of biochemical acantholysis in skin explants to various drugs in the absence of autoantibodies, in which the tested drugs evoke a biochemical reaction that leads to desmosomal function loss, may be a valuable adjunct to patient management by confirming the suspicion of drug-related pemphigus or bullous pemphigoid. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a skin explant model might serve as a possible in vitro correlate of drug-induced pemphigus and pemphigoid-like effects related to the calcium channel blocker nifedipine. METHODS: Normal human breast skin obtained from nonpemphigus and nonpemphigoid patients undergoing mastectomy was cultured with nifedipine at final concentrations of 2, 4, and 8 mM. The drug effect on skin explants evidenced by morphologic changes was evaluated by microscopy by three observers. RESULTS: Five out of seven explants cultured with nifedipine at concentrations ranging from 2 to 8 mM exhibited obvious morphologic changes of two types: intraepithelial (or pemphigus-type) splittings and subepithelial (or pemphigoid-type) splittings. Two explants showed no acantholysis and no subepithelial splittings. Control cultures without polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG) showed no changes. Skin control samples cultured in medium supplemented with 10% PEG displayed vacuolar degeneration throughout the entire epidermis, but no sign of cell-cell dyshesion or dermo-epidermal detachment. CONCLUSIONS: A type of skin susceptibility to nifedipine may be genetically determined, with some nifedipine-treated patients developing an acantholytic reaction and others a subepidermal bullous eruption.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Computerized system to enhance the clinical diagnosis of pigmented cutaneous malignancies.

BACKGROUND: An increase in the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma in recent years has not been accompanied by satisfactory progress in diagnostic methods. This study was carried out to evaluate a specially designed computerized image analysis system, called Derma Vision, to aid in the differentiation between malignant and benign cutaneous pigmented lesions. METHODS: Seventy-one lesions were photographed with a digital camera and the data were analyzed by the Derma Vision system. The system assessed the variation of hues in each image, calculated the mean standard deviation of the hues, and produced a value that expressed the range of hues in the lesion. The lesions were then excised and examined histologically. The computer-assisted clinical diagnosis was correlated with the histologic diagnosis to determine the accuracy of the former. RESULTS: Derma Vision predicted the malignant character of a lesion with 92% precision, compared with 87% accuracy based only on the clinical features. CONCLUSIONS: This simple, inexpensive device can boost the accuracy of clinical diagnosis and provide a useful tool to the physician faced increasingly with having to determine whether pigmented lesions are malignant or benign.

Basal Cell Carcinoma↗
PubMed1999

Improvement in androgenetic alopecia in 53-76-year-old men using oral finasteride.

Twenty-eight men with AGA, aged 53-76 years (mean, 65 years), were selected to participate in this trial from a double blind, placebo controlled, multicenter study of subjects with moderate symptoms of BPH. Patients received either finasteride 5 mg or placebo daily for 24 months. Hair counts were performed at entry to the study and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Hair counts were made directly on the scalp in a circular target area 1 in in diameter, located in the center of a template. The template was applied in such a way that its counting window fell on the most balding scalp area, which remained the same for each patient.11 At each hair counting session, patients were asked about side-effects and questioned about their sex life. Time trend and differences between groups were examined using a one-way (treatment) MANOVA with repeated measures (baseline, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months). Additional two-tailed t-tests were performed to compare the two groups at each point of time. P < 0.05 was considered to be significant.

5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors↗
PubMed1999

Generation and analysis of 25 Mb of genomic DNA from the pufferfish Fugu rubripes by sequence scanning.

We have generated and analyzed >50,000 shotgun clones from 1059 Fugu cosmid clones. All sequences have been minimally edited and searched against protein and DNA databases. These data are all displayed on a searchable, publicly available web site at. With an average of 50 reads per cosmid, this is virtually nonredundant sequence skimming, covering 30%-50% of each clone. This essentially random data set covers nearly 25 Mb (>6%) of the Fugu genome and forms the basis of a series of whole genome analyses which address questions regarding gene density and distribution in the Fugu genome and the similarity between Fugu and mammalian genes. The Fugu genome, with eight times less DNA but a similar gene repertoire, is ideally suited to this type of study because most cosmids contain more than one identifiable gene. General features of the genome are also discussed. We have made some estimation of the syntenic relationship between mammals and Fugu and looked at the efficacy of ORF prediction from short, unedited Fugu genomic sequences. Comparative DNA sequence analyses are an essential tool in the functional interpretation of complex vertebrate genomes. This project highlights the utility of using the Fugu genome in this kind of study.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Analysis of 148 kb of genomic DNA around the wnt1 locus of Fugu rubripes.

The analysis of the sequence of approximately 150 kb of a genomic region corresponding to the wnt1 gene of the Japanese pufferfish Fugu rubripes confirms the compact structure of the genome. Fifteen genes were found in this region, and 26.6% of the analyzed sequence is coding sequence. With an average intergenic distance of <5 kb, this gene density is comparable to that of Caenorhabditis elegans. The compactness of this region corresponds to the reduction of the overall size of the genome, consistent with the conclusion that the gene number in Fugu and human genomes is approximately the same. Eight of the genes have been mapped in the human genome and all of them are found in the chromosomal band 12q13, indicating a high degree of synteny in both species, Fugu and human. Comparative sequence analysis allows us to identify potential regulatory elements for wnt1 and ARF3, which are common to fish and mammals.

3' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed1999

Stress-induced SAPHO syndrome.

We describe the case of a woman with the classic combination of features of synovitis-acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome, including pustulosis palmo-plantaris and anterior chest wall involvement. The varying symptomology, etiology and pathogenesis of this syndrome and the contribution of stress are discussed. The authors ascribe the dearth of reported cases to lack of awareness and recognition of SAPHO, and not to the real incidence of the syndrome.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1999

Pemphigus and diet. Have we solved the mystery of fogo selvagem?

The role of nutrition in causing or preventing skin diseases is an ongoing interest to clinicians and researchers. An example is the well-established relationship between the exacerbation of acute gouty arthritis and high purine foods. A recent phenomenon of the link between diet and skin disease is that between certain foods--including garlic, onion and leek--and pemphigus. This connection is being intensively researched by us in collaboration with Ruocco and colleagues at the University of Naples II School of Medicine and Surgery. Case studies with supporting histological and immunological evidence are accumulating showing the role of these foods in provoking and exacerbating pemphigus.

Diet↗
PubMed1998

Only joking

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Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

A votre sanity.

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England↗
PubMed1998

Antiproliferative and differentiating effects of benzodiazepine receptor ligands on B16 melanoma cells.

In this study, we evaluated the effect of several ligands active at the central-type and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (BzR) (clonazepam, diazepam, PK11195 and Ro5-4864) on the growth and differentiation of B16 melanoma cells. All tested BzR ligands were able to suppress proliferation of the cells at the micromolar range and in a concentration-dependent manner. However, agents selectively active at the peripheral-type BzR (PK11195 and Ro5-4864) exhibited more potent antiproliferative activity. In addition, the BzR ligands were demonstrated to affect the cell cycle by reducing the percent of cells in the S phase and increasing the percent in the G2/M phase. BzR ligands induced cellular phenotypic alterations, which have been previously shown to be associated with melanoma cell differentiation. These alterations included: marked morphological changes, enhancement of melanogenesis, lipid accumulation and increase in the activity of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. All BzR ligands induced a marked reduction in the concentration of UTP and most of them did the same in GTP and CTP, while ATP levels were not significantly altered. In summary, BzR ligands (clonazepam, diazepam, PK11195 and Ro5-4864) were found to exert antitumor effects in B16 melanoma cells. These findings encourage further studies of a possible therapeutic potential of BzR ligands in treatment of melanoma.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Genomic structure and sequence of the pufferfish (Fugu rubripes) gene encoding an actin-related protein.

Using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-generated gene fragment as a probe, we isolated and sequenced a gene encoding an actin-related protein belonging to the Arp3 family from the pufferfish, Fugu rubripes. The Fugu Arp3 gene spans 3.7kb from the transcription start site to the polyadenylation signal. This is the first report of the genomic sequence of a vertebrate Arp3 gene. The Fugu Arp3 gene consists of 12 exons and 11 introns compared to Drosophila homologue, which has six exons and five introns. The protein sequence encoded by the Fugu gene is 97% and 80% identical to bovine and Drosophila homologues, respectively. The Fugu Arp3 gene is expressed in a wide range of tissues, with higher levels detected in the gills, kidney, ovary, skin and testis. Three different size transcripts of the Arp3 gene (1.4kb, 1.8kb and 2.2kb) were identified in various tissues.

Actin-Related Protein 3↗
PubMed1998

Putative pheromone receptors related to the Ca2+-sensing receptor in Fugu.

By a combination of PCR with degenerate primers and low stringency probing, we have isolated a large family of genes related to the Ca2+-sensing receptor from the genome of Fugu rubripes. One of the genes (type I) is the Fugu homologue of the Ca2+-sensing receptor. The remaining genes can be divided into five classes (type II-VI) on the bases of gene structure. In several types, the genes occur in clusters as tandem arrays. These genes appear to be the homologues of the vomeronasal pheromone receptors recently described in rodents. The Fugu genes are expressed in the tissues of the nose, suggesting that they may have a similar physiological role.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Of human bandage

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Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Hidden agenders

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Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Laue and Kossel diffraction on quasicrystals by means of synchrotron radiation.

Laue experiments using synchrotron radiation have been carried out on quasicrystalline samples mainly with decagonal symmetry. Apart from Laue spots, Kossel lines and diffuse scattering have been observed on the X-ray film simultaneously. High spatial resolution was achieved by the positioning of the X-ray film at a distance of about 350 mm from the sample. Conclusions about the real structure and the crystal quality could be drawn using information obtained from the appearance of the Kossel lines, and the shape and the splitting of the Laue spots, respectively. The dimensions of the mosaic blocks and their tilting behaviour for one of the samples under investigation have been determined.

Journal Article↗