scholarly journals Dysbiosis and Enhanced Beta-Defensin Production in Hair Follicles of Patients with Lichen Planopilaris and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 266
Author(s):  
Andria Constantinou ◽  
Katarzyna Polak-Witka ◽  
Marios Tomazou ◽  
Anastasis Oulas ◽  
Varvara Kanti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Disease Onset ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Innate Immune Responses ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Bacterial Composition ◽  
Lichen Planopilaris ◽  
Exogenous Factors ◽  
Cell Niche ◽  
Abundant Genus ◽  
Scalp Skin

Despite their distinct clinical manifestation, frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) and lichen planopilaris (LPP) display similar histopathologic features. Aberrant innate immune responses to endogenous or exogenous triggers have been discussed as factors that could drive inflammatory cascades and the collapse of the stem cell niche. In this exploratory study, we investigate the bacterial composition of scalp skin and plucked hair follicles (HF) of patients with FFA, LPP and alopecia areata circumscripta (AAc), as well as healthy individuals, in relation to cellular infiltrates and the expression of defense mediators. The most abundant genus in lesional and non-lesional HFs of LPP and FFA patients was Staphylococcus, while Lawsonella dominated in healthy individuals and in AAc patients. We observed statistically significant differences in the ratio of Firmicutes to Actinobacteria between healthy scalp, lesional, and non-lesional sites of FFA and LPP patients. This marked dysbiosis in FFA and LPP in compartments close to the bulge was associated with increased HβD1 and HβD2 expression along the HFs from lesional sites, while IL-17A was increased in lesional HF from AAc patients. The data encourage further studies on how exogenous factors and molecular interactions across the HF epithelium could contribute to disease onset and propagation.

scholarly journals Correlation of the commercial anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain antibody test with the chemiluminescent reduction neutralizing test and possible detection of antibodies to emerging variants

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshitomo Morinaga ◽  
Hideki Tani ◽  
Yasushi Terasaki ◽  
Satoshi Nomura ◽  
Hitoshi Kawasuji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Binding ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Antibody Test ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Receptor Binding Domain ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Convalescent Phase

Background Serological tests are beneficial for recognizing the immune response against SARS-CoV-2. To identify protective immunity, optimization of the chemiluminescent reduction neutralizing test (CRNT), using pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2, is critical. Whether commercial antibody tests are comparably accurate is unknown. Methods Serum samples collected before variants were locally found were obtained from confirmed COVID-19 patients (n = 74), confirmed non-COVID-19 individuals (n = 179), and unscreened individuals (suspected healthy individuals, n = 229). The convalescent phase was defined as the period after day 10 from disease onset. The CRNT against pseudotyped viruses displaying the wild-type spike protein and a commercially available anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) antibody test were assayed. The CRNT was also assayed, using South African (SA) and United Kingdom (UK)-derived variants. Results The CRNT (cut off value, 50% inhibition) and the anti-RBD antibody test (cut off value, 0.8 U/mL) concurred regarding symptomatic COVID-19 patients in the convalescent phase and clearly differentiated between patients and suspected healthy individuals (sensitivity; 95.8% and 100%, specificity; 99.1% and 100%, respectively). Anti-RBD antibody test results correlated with neutralizing titer (r = 0.47, 95% CI 0.20-0.68). Compared with the wild-type, CRNT reduction was observed for the SA and UK-derived variants. Of the samples with ≥100 U/mL by the anti-RBD antibody test, 77.8% and 88.9% showed ≥50% neutralization against the UK and the SA variants, respectively. Conclusion The CRNT and commercial anti-RBD antibody test effectively classified convalescent COVID-19 patients. The strong positive results using the commercial antibody test can reflect neutralizing activity against emerging variants.

scholarly journals Metabolic biomarker profiling for identification of susceptibility to severe pneumonia and COVID-19 in the general population

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Heli Julkunen ◽  
Anna Cichońska ◽  
P Eline Slagboom ◽  
Peter Würtz
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Severe Pneumonia ◽  
Blood Sampling ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Metabolic Biomarkers ◽  
Low Grade Inflammation ◽  
Increased Susceptibility

Biomarkers of low-grade inflammation have been associated with susceptibility to a severe infectious disease course, even when measured prior to disease onset. We investigated whether metabolic biomarkers measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy could be associated with susceptibility to severe pneumonia (2507 hospitalised or fatal cases) and severe COVID-19 (652 hospitalised cases) in 105,146 generally healthy individuals from UK Biobank, with blood samples collected 2007–2010. The overall signature of metabolic biomarker associations was similar for the risk of severe pneumonia and severe COVID-19. A multi-biomarker score, comprised of 25 proteins, fatty acids, amino acids and lipids, was associated equally strongly with enhanced susceptibility to severe COVID-19 (odds ratio 2.9 [95%CI 2.1–3.8] for highest vs lowest quintile) and severe pneumonia events occurring 7–11 years after blood sampling (2.6 [1.7–3.9]). However, the risk for severe pneumonia occurring during the first 2 years after blood sampling for people with elevated levels of the multi-biomarker score was over four times higher than for long-term risk (8.0 [4.1–15.6]). If these hypothesis generating findings on increased susceptibility to severe pneumonia during the first few years after blood sampling extend to severe COVID-19, metabolic biomarker profiling could potentially complement existing tools for identifying individuals at high risk. These results provide novel molecular understanding on how metabolic biomarkers reflect the susceptibility to severe COVID-19 and other infections in the general population.

scholarly journals Cytokines and Other Mediators in Alopecia Areata

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stamatis Gregoriou ◽  
Dafni Papafragkaki ◽  
George Kontochristopoulos ◽  
Eustathios Rallis ◽  
Dimitrios Kalogeromitros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alopecia Areata ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Hla Antigens ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Strong Component ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Shed Light

Alopecia areata, a disease of the hair follicles with multifactorial etiology and a strong component of autoimmune origin, has been extensively studied as far as the role of several cytokines is concerned. So far, IFN-, interleukins, TNF-, are cytokines that are well known to play a major role in the pathogenesis of the disease, while several studies have shown that many more pathways exist. Among them, MIG, IP-10, BAFF, HLA antigens, MIG, as well as stress hormones are implicated in disease onset and activity. Within the scope of this paper, the authors attempt to shed light upon the complexity of alopecia areata underlying mechanisms and indicate pathways that may suggest future treatments.

Lichen planopilaris is characterized by immune privilege collapse of the hair follicle's epithelial stem cell niche

2013 ◽  
Vol 231 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J Harries ◽  
Katja Meyer ◽  
Iskander Chaudhry ◽  
Jennifer E Kloepper ◽  
Enrique Poblet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Immune Privilege ◽  
Lichen Planopilaris ◽  
Epithelial Stem Cell ◽  
Cell Niche

scholarly journals Probiotics Improve Urogenital Health in Women

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (10) ◽  
pp. 1845-1850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Ballini ◽  
Luigi Santacroce ◽  
Stefania Cantore ◽  
Lucrezia Bottalico ◽  
Gianna Dipalma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Test Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vaginal Mucosa ◽  
Bacterial Composition ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Urogenital Infections ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Exogenous Factors ◽  
High Oxidative Stress

BACKGROUND: Urogenital recurrent infections represent a global medical issue in the world, affecting millions of women because of dramatic shifts in bacterial composition and concentrations in response to numerous endogenous and exogenous factors. Urogenital microbiota forms a mutually beneficial relationship with their host and has a major impact on health and disease. AIM: This study aimed to compare probiotic therapy versus placebo in Oxidative Stress Values (OSVs) and histological features in urogenital infections in female patients. METHODS: Forty (n = 40) patients diagnosed with recurrent urogenital infections were recruited to be treated as test group (n = 20), receiving Probiotics, and a control group (n = 20), receiving looking similar placebo, both for 90 days. Both the groups were assessed for total oxidant capacity (d-ROMs test) and biological antioxidant potential as iron-reducing activity (BAP test) at baseline, after 1 and 3 months. Histological changes on inner vaginal mucosa were also investigated, during the entire study. RESULTS: d-ROM assay clearly showed that the values of the test group were significantly different, thus leading the general health conditions from a state of high oxidative stress to low oxidative stress levels. Increasing of BAP values were more significant, and clinically relevant, in probiotic test group over time. CONCLUSION: Our pilot study gave interesting and promising elements to confirm the safety and effectiveness of oral probiotics in preventing/reducing the recurrent urogenital infections by an overall modification of inner vaginal microbiota.

scholarly journals Innovative modified hair follicle harvesting technique with reverse rake scalp elevator for lower occipital donor area in follicular unit extraction hair transplantation

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (03) ◽  
pp. 390-396
Author(s):  
Chandrakant Rambhau Gharwade
Keyword(s):  
Hair Follicle ◽  
Acute Angle ◽  
Hair Follicles ◽  
Hair Transplantation ◽  
Hair Transplant ◽  
Harvesting Technique ◽  
Donor Area ◽  
Follicular Unit Extraction ◽  
Follicular Unit ◽  
Scalp Skin

ABSTRACTFollicular unit extraction (FUE) is one of the widely practiced minimally invasive follicular harvesting techniques employed during hair transplantation. FUE technique has an advantage of utilising lower occipital area and supra-auricular region as a safe donor area described by Unger, in addition to the standard occipital donor area used in strip method (follicular unit transplant). Despite its potential advantages such as rapid recovery, minimal scarring and reduced post-operative pain; its widespread acceptance is limited due to various factors in variable contribution like steeper learning curve and potentially higher follicular transection rates (FTRs). The main practical drawbacks in harvesting FUE from lower occipital donor region that lie inferior to the standard donor area, is its acute angle (10°–15°) of emergent hair from scalp skin, higher variance angle (15°–35°) between hairs below the skin and hair exit angle above the skin and comparatively loose scalp, preventing to provide stable platform for punching. Hair transplant surgeon faces difficulty in aligning and engaging the FUE punch leading to very high hair follicle transection rate, and therefore, it is not a preferred site for harvesting follicles in FUE. Authors description of modified technique using reverse rake scalp elevator helps in negating the acute angle of the hair follicles exit from scalp skin and reducing the variance angle between emergent hair and hair below the skin in lower occipital region thereby reducing FTR. Furthermore, an added advantage of reducing the overall operative time and surgeon fatigue, improve donor area healing, availability of a comparatively larger donor area which increases the confidence of the beginners. This method will be of help as it is easy to duplicate and follow by novice hair transplant surgeons and also for those who are routinely doing mega hair transplants sessions.

scholarly journals IFNα and IFNγ Impede Marek’s Disease Progression

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca D. Bertzbach ◽  
Olof Harlin ◽  
Sonja Härtle ◽  
Frank Fehler ◽  
Tereza Vychodil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Disease Onset ◽  
Antiviral Effect ◽  
Lymphoproliferative Disease ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Marek's Disease ◽  
Marek’S Disease ◽  
Innate Immune Responses

Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is an alphaherpesvirus that causes Marek’s disease, a malignant lymphoproliferative disease of domestic chickens. While MDV vaccines protect animals from clinical disease, they do not provide sterilizing immunity and allow field strains to circulate and evolve in vaccinated flocks. Therefore, there is a need for improved vaccines and for a better understanding of innate and adaptive immune responses against MDV infections. Interferons (IFNs) play important roles in the innate immune defenses against viruses and induce upregulation of a cellular antiviral state. In this report, we quantified the potent antiviral effect of IFNα and IFNγ against MDV infections in vitro. Moreover, we demonstrate that both cytokines can delay Marek’s disease onset and progression in vivo. Additionally, blocking of endogenous IFNα using a specific monoclonal antibody, in turn, accelerated disease. In summary, our data reveal the effects of IFNα and IFNγ on MDV infection and improve our understanding of innate immune responses against this oncogenic virus.

scholarly journals Early changes in bacterial communities in wound tissues of Pinus massoniana after inoculation with Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Nematology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-101
Author(s):  
Jinyan Liu ◽  
Songqing Wu ◽  
Xia Hu ◽  
Wanfeng Xie ◽  
Xiuping Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Communities ◽  
Pinus Massoniana ◽  
Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Bursaphelenchus Xylophilus ◽  
Bacterial Composition ◽  
Invasion Mechanism ◽  
16S Rdna Amplicon Sequencing ◽  
Abundant Genus ◽  
Functional Analyses ◽  
Shed Light

Summary The bacterial communities in the wound tissues of Pinus massoniana were analysed by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. The results showed that the bacterial richness and diversity changed remarkably whether the wound was inoculated with pine wood nematode (PWN; Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) or not after 12 h. However, the predominant bacteria Stenotrophomonas, Burkholderiaceae, Pseudomonas, Serratia and Delftia, introduced by PWN in the wound tissues, changed within 6 h. After 6 h of PWN inoculation, the most abundant genus associating with PWN, Stenotrophomonas, failed to colonise the wound tissues, and the abundance of Delftia decreased, while the other representative bacteria, Burkholderiaceae, Pseudomonas and Serratia, from the PWN were markedly enriched. In addition, our study is the first to report the association of Serratia liquefaciens with PWN. Predicted functional analyses using the Tax4Fun tool showed that the alterations in bacterial composition also led to shifts in their functional pathways, especially after 12 h of PWN inoculation. These findings clarified that the bacteria carried by PWN were responsible for the alterations in bacterial communities in the wound tissues and will shed light on the invasion mechanism of PWN.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document