bromochloroacetic-acid and Molluscum-Contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a Molluscipox virus infection of keratinocytes with hyperplasia and intracytoplasmic inclusions - the molluscum bodies (MBs). Few papers address cytokeratins (K) profile in MC, mainly focusing terminal keratinization process.. Forty-one MC lesions were subjected to immunohistochemical technique to verify K1, K10, K14, K16, involucrin, filaggrin, E-cadherin and p63 expression. MC immunolabeling pattern was compared to adjacent normal appearing epidermis (ANAE).. In MC and ANAE, K1/K10 were expressed in suprabasal layers, K14 was expressed in basal and suprabasal layers and K16 was expressed through all spinous layer. Involucrin and filaggrin were observed in granular, spinous and in basal layer of ANAE and MC. E-cadherin was present up to the first layers of MC while ANAE exhibited E-cadherin labeling at basal and spinous layers. Basal and spinous layers keratinocytes nuclei, in both MC and ANAE, express p63.. Infection by Molluscipox virus alters keratinocyte differentiation status. The presence of K14 and p63 in spinous layer, as well as early expression of involucrin and filaggrin, associated to a hyperproliferative state disclosed by K16 expression, may be a result of disruption in keratinocytes maturation process. The changes observed at ANAE may represent early events in keratinization disturbance.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Biomarkers; Cadherins; Cell Adhesion; Cell Differentiation; Child; Child, Preschool; Filaggrin Proteins; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Infant; Intermediate Filament Proteins; Keratinocytes; Keratins; Membrane Proteins; Middle Aged; Molluscum Contagiosum; Protein Precursors; Young Adult

A patient presented with a 4-month history of slowly progressive pruritic papules on her trunk and extremities. Biopsies from 2 of these lesions revealed molluscum contagiosum. One of the biopsies also showed several small foci of granular parakeratosis. Based on the clinical features and course of this patient, the granular parakeratosis seems to be an incidental finding.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Betamethasone; Chelation Therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Gentamicins; Humans; Keratins; Middle Aged; Molluscum Contagiosum; Parakeratosis; Treatment Failure; Triamcinolone

Recently, in the filiform papillae epithelium of mouse dorsal tongue, we showed the presence of hybrid granules in which filaggrin and trichohyalin were both present, but physically segregated. Further, trichohyalin was also detected in scattered granular cells of a number of hyperplastic skin diseases.. The epidermis infected with molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) was studied by conventional electron microscopy in conjunction with light and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry, using both antifilaggrin and antitrichohyalin antibodies as probes.. We found that the granular cells of MCV-infected epidermis contained both filaggrin and trichohyalin. Subsequent electron-microscopic examination showed that the granular cells contained morphologically heterogeneous granules that appeared to be composed of discrete areas of distinct electron densities. Double-labeling, using antibodies to filaggrin and trichohyalin, clearly indicated that filaggrin and trichohyalin were both present in the hybrid granules and that the electron-dense regions contained trichohyalin while the more electron-lucent regions contained filaggrin.. The expression of trichohyalin was a common feature observed in the epidermis from a heterogenous group of hyperplastic conditions, including MCV infection. This finding has led us to speculate that trichohyalin may be specifically or preferentially involved in interacting with the hyperproliferation-related keratin pair (K6/K16), whereas the function of filaggrin is more closely linked to the skin-type keratin pair (K1/K10) that are normal keratins found in the differentiated epidermis.

Topics: Cell Differentiation; Cell Division; Cytoplasmic Granules; Epidermis; Filaggrin Proteins; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Hyalin; Inclusion Bodies; Intermediate Filament Proteins; Keratins; Microscopy, Electron; Microscopy, Immunoelectron; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Protein Precursors

A lack of cellular immunity on the part of the host has been incriminated as the cause of the persistence of the cutaneous lesions of molluscum contagiosum. We present a patient in the eruptive phase of the disease, confirming the absence of T-lymphocyte and natural killer cell subsets in the base of these typical lesions, using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. We also report the observation of lipid material ultrastructurally (confirmed by osmium staining on fresh-frozen tissue), as well as cross-reactivity immunocytochemically of the antigens on these molluscum bodies with antigens normally present on macrophages, as defined by DAKO-macrophage monoclonal antibodies. We have considered the possible role of these findings in the lack of host cellular responsiveness in the eruptive phase of the disease.

Topics: Adult; Epidermal Cells; Epidermis; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunohistochemistry; Keratins; Killer Cells, Natural; Lipids; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Molluscum Contagiosum; Osmium; Staining and Labeling; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic

To determine a possible role of Langerhans cells in viral infection of skin, we studied the distribution of Langerhans and indeterminate cells in the lesional skin of mollusca contagiosa, verrucae vulgaris, plantar warts, and condylomata acuminata. A total absence of Langerhans and indeterminate cells was observed in molluscum contagiosum, but their number appeared to be normal or increased in the perilesional normal skin. Few Langerhans and indeterminate cells were seen in the suprabasal location in verrucae vulgaris and plantar warts, and normal numbers were noted in the perilesional skin. In contrast, a larger number of Langerhans and indeterminate cells reaching up to stratum granulosum were found in the condylomata acuminata. It is possible that alteration of keratinocytes by viral infection may effect the migration of Langerhans cells to the epidermis. The lack of Langerhans cells may lead to a paucity of inflammatory response (in particular, T cell-mediated response) to the cells infected with the virus.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Condylomata Acuminata; Dendritic Cells; Epidermal Cells; HLA-DR Antigens; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Keratins; Langerhans Cells; Molluscum Contagiosum; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Warts

Using scanning electron microscopy to study molluscum contagiosum lesions, it has been possible to demonstrate a unique, well defined sac enclosing the virion colony of each infected keratinocyte. This confirms the presence of a structure demonstrated over 50 years ago by micro-dissection, but ignored since it is not seen on either light or transmission electron microscopy. It is postulated that this sac, of unknown origin, favours replication of the virions by providing a site that is both anatomically and immunologically privileged. Such relatively unimpeded growth of the virions results in an enlarged cell in which the cytoplasm and nucleus are compressed into a thin outer shell. In the aggregate, this produces a tumour of virus-packed cells rather than a tumour composed of virus-induced cell hyperplasia.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child, Preschool; Epidermal Cells; Epidermis; Humans; Keratins; Microscopy, Electron; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Molluscum Contagiosum; Molluscum contagiosum virus; Skin; Virion

In normal skin, cytokeratin polypeptides are expressed in different cell-type-specific patterns, in the keratinocytes of the different epidermal cell strata as well as in different lateral epithelial domains. Using light microscopically controlled microdissection of defined regions from frozen sections of biopsies, we have prepared cytoskeletons of various benign and malignant keratinocyte-derived tumors of human skin and analyzed their cytokeratin polypeptide patterns by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Premalignant fibroepitheliomas and basal cell epitheliomas display a relatively simple cytokeratin pattern (cytokeratins nos. 5, 14, 15, and 17). Pseudocarcinomatous hyperplasia, some squamous cell carcinomas, and a certain subtype of condylomata acuminata present a hair-follicle-like pattern (nos. 5, 6, 14, 16, 17). In addition to these components, variable, mostly low amounts of cytokeratins nos. 1 (Mr 68,000), and 11 are detected in most squamous cell carcinomas, in keratoacanthomas, verruca vulgaris, and another type of condylomata acuminata. In molluscum contagiosum, verruca plana, solar keratosis, and seborrheic keratosis, the cytokeratin expression is shifted more towards the normal epidermal pattern (polypeptides nos. 1, 2, 5, 10, 11, 14, 15 and traces of nos. 6 and 16 in the latter two tumors). No tumor-specific cytokeratins have been found. We conclude that keratinocyte-derived skin tumors contain various combinations of cytokeratins of the subset typical for normal keratinocytes of skin, but no cytokeratins typical for internal, simple epithelia. Different groups of tumors can be distinguished by their specific cytokeratin patterns. Possible applications of cytokeratin typing in clinical diagnosis are discussed.

Topics: Carcinoma, Basal Cell; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Condylomata Acuminata; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Humans; Keratins; Keratoacanthoma; Keratosis; Molecular Weight; Molluscum Contagiosum; Papilloma; Peptides; Skin; Skin Neoplasms; Warts

Using an unlabelled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method, we have demonstrated that certain tissue antigens can be identified in tissue sections previously stained with hematoxylin and eosin. This technique is useful in identifying antigens in tissues where insufficient unstained material is available.

Topics: Antigens; Carcinoembryonic Antigen; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Keratins; Molluscum Contagiosum; Myelin Basic Protein; Protein Precursors; Skin; Staining and Labeling