title: Effectors of inflammation in actinic prurigo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Actinic prurigo is a specific familial photodermatosis of uncertain pathogenesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to investigate the immunohistologic presentation of actinic prurigo to explore the involved pathomechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present immunohistochemical study was performed on biopsy specimens from 20 Mexican patients presenting with a severe and perennial form of the disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dense inflammatory infiltrate was composed predominantly of helper T type 1 lymphocytes admixed with scattered B-cell lymphoid follicles and numerous dermal dendrocytes. Keratinocytes contained abundant tumor necrosis factor-alpha and calprotectin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In subjects genetically predisposed to actinic prurigo, ultraviolet light may trigger excessive tumor necrosis factor-alpha production by keratinocytes whose sustained release in turn exerts its proinflammatory activity and deleterious epidermal effects. Such a cascade of events is in line with the therapeutic benefit already reported when thalidomide is used to treat actinic prurigo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatopathology, University Medical Center of Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Arrese
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dominguez-Soto
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hojyo-Tomoka
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vega-Memije
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cortés-Franco
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guevara
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Piérard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation; D015603:Keratinocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011536:Prurigo / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012621:Seasons; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013792:Thalidomide