Abnormal essential fatty acid metabolism in Darier's disease

Fatty acid levels in plasma and erythrocyte cell membranes were determined in 13 Danish patients with Darier's disease and 21 Danish controls. Concentrations of the main dietary essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (18:2n-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3n-3), were consistently modestly above normal; concentrations of the delta 6-desaturase metabolites of both linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, however, were consistently and often significantly below normal. These results suggest that the capacity of the enzyme delta 6-desaturase activity is inadequate in patients with Darier's disease.

Increased number of circulating suppressor T-lymphocytes in sun-induced multiple skin cancers

The distribution of peripheral lymphocyte subsets was studied in fifteen patients with multiple nonmelanoma skin cancers, selected according to history of ultraviolet (UV) or X-ray exposure. The skin cancer was associated with previous heavy exposure to UV light in seven patients, and past exposure to x-rays in eight patients. In the UV group, the helper T-lymphocytes/suppressor T-lymphocytes (Th/Ts) ratio was abnormally low (P less than 0.01) compared with the ratios of the x-ray and control groups. The low Th/Ts ratio was associated with an absolute increase in the number of Ts. This suggests that heavy sun exposure may cause a permanent increase in the number of Ts in certain persons. These extra T-lymphocytes may in turn prevent immune rejection of transformed keratinocytes.

The nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome: sensitivity to ultraviolet and x-ray irradiation

Demographic studies in patients with skin cancer have demonstrated the importance of exposure to ultraviolet and x-ray irradiation. This paper describes in vitro studies in peripheral lymphocytes from three patients with the nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. Particular stress was placed on the following factors: (1) the distribution of the lymphocyte subsets, (2) the frequency of spontaneous sister chromatid exchange, (3) the effect of ultraviolet C (UVC) (254 nm) on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis, (4) the effect of UVC on the phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation, and (5) the capacity to repair x-ray-induced DNA damage. Our data indicate that the distribution of the peripheral lymphocytes was normal, while the frequency of spontaneous sister chromatid exchange was high. The capacity of the lymphocytes to repair x-ray-induced DNA damage was low in all three patients. In two patients the UVC-induced DNA synthesis was reduced, while an increased UVC-induced inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation was observed. These cellular responses in vitro to ultraviolet and x-ray irradiation correspond to the clinical features of the nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. A clearly defective in vitro cellular response to x-ray irradiation, reflecting the clinically evident x-ray sensitivity in the nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, has not been reported previously.

Raynaud's phenomenon with oral manifestation in systemic lupus erythematosus

A 24-year-old woman with discoid lupus erythematosus developed systemic lupus erythematosus after 6 years. One of the clinical features was Raynaud's phenomenon in the fingers and toes, and furthermore Raynaud's phenomenon appeared in the tongue when exposed to cold and windy weather.