Skin Prick Test Reactivity in Patients with Chronic Eczematous External Otitis

ObjectivesTo investigate the incidence of skin prick test (SPT) positivity in patients with eczematous external otitis.MethodsForty-six patients with eczematous external otitis and forty-four healthy volunteers were included in the study. All the patients were skin-tested by prick test. Reactions were assessed by the degree of redness and swelling and the size of the wheal produced.ResultsAccording to SPT positivity and total immunoglobulin E values, the difference between the study and the control groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The most common skin reactions were against to mites and grasses in this study.ConclusionEczematous external otitis is perhaps the most difficult to treat of all forms of external otitis because the provocative agents usually remain undiagnosed. Patients suffering from eczematous external otitis symptoms should be investigated for allergens and be informed for prevention of the causative agents. SPT might be performed in cases of prolonged or treatment-resistant external otitis

Plasmin Plays an Essential Role in Amplification of Psoriasiform Skin Inflammation in Mice

BACKGROUND: Although increased levels of plasminogen activators have been found in psoriatic lesions, the role of plasmin converted from plasminogen by plasminogen activators in pathogenesis of psoriasis has not been investigated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we examined the contribution of plasmin to amplification of inflammation in patients with psoriasis. We found that plasminogen was diminished, but that the amount and activity of its converted product plasmin were markedly increased in psoriasis. Moreover, annexin II, a receptor for plasmin was dramatically increased in both dermis and epidermis in psoriasis. Plasmin at sites of inflammation was pro-inflammatory, eliciting production of inflammatory factors, including CC chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) and interleukin-23 (IL-23), that was mediated by the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway and that had an essential role in the recruitment and activation of pathogenic C-C chemokine receptor type 6 (CCR6)+ T cells. Moreover, intradermal injection of plasmin or plasmin together with recombinant monocyte/macrophage chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) resulted in induction of psoriasiform skin inflammation around the injection sites with several aspects of human psoriasis in mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Plasmin converted from plasminogen by plasminogen activators plays an essential role in amplification of psoriasiform skin inflammation in mice, and targeting plasmin receptor--annexin II--may harbor therapeutic potential for the treatment of human psoriasis

Accumulation of Urinary Cancer-related Glycoprotein, EDCl, in Psoriasis

EDCl is a novel glycoprotein, mol wt 27,000, isolated in 1976 from leukemic urine. It inhibits the serine proteases trypsin and chymotrypsin and is antigenically related to interalpha trypsin inhibitor (IATI), mol wt 170,000, a normal plasma antiprotease. Since psoriasis is a non neoplastic hyperproliferative state, we have now measured EDCl by a specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) in plasma and urine of 24 untreated psoriatic patients. EDC1 was not detectable in normal urine (< 1mg/gm creatinine) or plasma (1< mg/L). 55% of psoriatic urine specimens were positive by MA, containing 8 to 110mg/gm creatinine. 75% of plasmas were positive, containing 12 to 32mg/L. Plasma and urine contents of EDCl were significantly (P < .05) correlated with severity of clinical disease (% skin involved) but not with age, sex, distribution or type of lesion, family history or arthritis