Melanoma
Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers and Therapeutics in Dermatology: A Focus on Exosomes
Extracellular vesicles (exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies) are ubiquitous in human tissues, circulation, and body fluids. Of these vesicles, exosomes are of growing interest among investigators across multiple fields, including dermatology. The characteristics of exosomes, their associated cargo (nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids), and downstream functions are vastly different, depending on the cell origin. Here, we review concepts in extracellular vesicle biology, with a focus on exosomes, highlighting recent studies in the field of dermatology.Combining Type I Interferons and 5-Aza-2′-Deoxycitidine to Improve Anti-Tumor Response against Melanoma
Resistance to IFN-I–induced antineoplastic effects has been reported in many tumors and arises, in part, from epigenetic silencing of IFN-stimulated genes by DNA methylation. We hypothesized that restoration of IFN-stimulated genes by co-administration of the demethylating drug 5-aza-2′-deoxycitidine (decitabine [DAC]) may enhance the susceptibility to IFN-I–mediated antitumoral effects in melanoma. We show that combined administration of IFN-I and DAC significantly inhibits the growth of murine and human melanoma cells, both in vitro and in vivo.Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Psoriasis Are an Expanded Population Exhibiting Diverse T-Cell–Suppressor Mechanisms
Psoriasis vulgaris is an inflammatory skin disease caused by hyperactivated T cells regulated by positive and negative mechanisms; although the former have been much studied, the latter have not. We studied the regulatory mechanism mediated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and showed that MDSCs expanded in melanoma patients express dendritic cell-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycan-dependent integrin ligand, a critical mediator of T-cell suppressor function. We examined expansion of DC-HIL+ MDSCs in psoriasis and characterized their functional properties.Identification of Autoantigen Epitopes in Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata (AA) is believed to be a cell-mediated autoimmune hair loss disease. Both CD4 and cytotoxic CD8 T cells (CTLs) are important for the onset and progression of AA. Hair follicle (HF) keratinocyte and/or melanocyte antigen epitopes are suspected potential targets of autoreactive CTLs, but the specific epitopes have not yet been identified. We investigated the potential for a panel of known epitopes, expressed by HF keratinocytes and melanocytes, to induce activation of CTL populations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.Increased, but Functionally Impaired, CD14+ HLA-DR–/low Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in Psoriasis: A Mechanism of Dysregulated T Cells
The clinical extent of psoriasis pathology is regulated in part by defects in immune networks, including a defect in the suppressive actions of regulatory T cells. Recently, CD14+ HLA-DR–/low monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (Mo-MDSCs) have been shown to suppress T-cell activation as one of their suppressive mechanisms. However, little is known about the role of Mo-MDSCs and their functional relationship to T-cell suppression in relation to human chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis.
