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Hair graying, a prototypical sign of human aging, is a progressive loss of pigmentation from growing hair shafts caused by disease and as a side effect of medications. Cerebrolysin is a neuropeptide preparation that mimics the effect of endogenous neurotrophic factors. Cerebrolysin has been widely used in neurologic conditions, such as cerebral stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia, among others. Cerebrolysin treatment has achieved to regain or maintain the cognitive ability of affected patients; however, up to date, there are no reports about the reactivation of hair pigmentation. We describe a previously not described effect occurring on patients receiving Cerebrolysin treatment for neurologic diseases and whether this effect is associated in reactivation of melanocytes and melanin expression. Here, we report five patients (mean age, 70.6 years), who also had age-related hair graying and scalp hair repigmentation during Cerebrolysin treatment. Macroscopic analysis revealed hair repigmentation consisted in diffuse darkening of the scalp hair. Impregnation and immunostaining analysis were performed on scalp biopsies taken before and after Cerebrolysin treatment; the results showed greater melanin and melanocyte marker MART-1/Melan-A staining following Cerebrolysin treatment. We present, to our knowledge, the first report on hair repigmentation is a previously not described effect occurring following Cerebrolysin treatment.

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Abstract Background: Vitiligo is characterized by an autoimmune response targeting melanocytes, thus resulting in skin depigmentation. There are several genetic components involved in the development of vitiligo, of which various gene polymorphisms are currently considered as risk factors. For example, the CTLA4 (T-lymphocyte antigen 4) +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants have been associated with a predisposition for autoimmune diseases in different populations; however, their involvement in the development of vitiligo remains controversial. Objective: We evaluated the association between vitiligo and the CTLA4 +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants in a Mexican population. Methods: A total of 116 vitiligo patients and 117 control subjects from northeast Mexico were included in the study and analyzed through PCR-RFLP to determine whether there is an association between vitiligo and CTLA4 +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants. Results: No statistical difference was observed for both gene polymorphisms between vitiligo patients and controls (p > 0.05). Otherwise, vitiligo activity, family history of vitiligo, personal history of autoimmune diseases, or sex did not show any difference (p > 0.05). Conclusion: As suggested by the analysis of a northeastern Mexican population, the CTLA4 +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants do not constitute a risk factor in the development of vitiligo.

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BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is characterized by an autoimmune response targeting melanocytes, thus resulting in skin depigmentation. There are several genetic components involved in the development of vitiligo, of which various gene polymorphisms are currently considered as risk factors. For example, the CTLA4 (T-lymphocyte antigen 4) +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants have been associated with a predisposition for autoimmune diseases in different populations; however, their involvement in the development of vitiligo remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the association between vitiligo and the CTLA4 +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants in a Mexican population. METHODS: A total of 116 vitiligo patients and 117 control subjects from northeast Mexico were included in the study and analyzed through PCR-RFLP to determine whether there is an association between vitiligo and CTLA4 +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants. RESULTS: No statistical difference was observed for both gene polymorphisms between vitiligo patients and controls (p > 0.05). Otherwise, vitiligo activity, family history of vitiligo, personal history of autoimmune diseases, or sex did not show any difference (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: As suggested by the analysis of a northeastern Mexican population, the CTLA4 +49A/G (rs231775) and CT60 (rs3087243) gene variants do not constitute a risk factor in the development of vitiligo.

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Vitiligo is a disease characterized by skin depigmentation caused by the selective destruction of melanocytes. The melanocortin system participates as a regulator of melanogenesis and skin pigmentation. Narrowband UVB phototherapy (nb-UVB) is currently considered to be the gold standard and first choice treatment method for vitiligo vulgaris. The aim of the present study was to analyze the clinical and biochemical parameters of vitiligo, as well as to determine the expression of proopiomelanocortin (POMC), melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) genes in the skin of patients with stable vitiligo receiving nb-UVB phototherapy. Patient clinical and biochemical parameters, and the skin biopsies of 22 patients with stable vitiligo were analyzed. These biopsies were obtained before and after nb-UVB phototherapy. The genetic expression analysis of POMC, MC1R and MC4R genes was performed via RNA-Sequence analysis. A statistical evaluation of the clinical and biochemical parameters, the degree of response to treatment and the expression profiles of the melanocortin system genes were performed to identify their association with treatment response. A two-sided P≤0.05 value was considered to indicate a statistically significant difference. Alterations were observed in the expression profiles of MC1R following nb-UVB phototherapy (P≤0.05). In addition, elevated levels of triiodothyronine were associated with a poor response to nb-UVB phototherapy. In conclusion the current study revealed that nb-UVB phototherapy altered the expression profile of the MC1R gene.

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Onychomatricoma is a rare and specific benign tumor of the nail complex, with uncertain etiology. The avulsion of the nail plate reveals cavitations and orifices in its proximal extremity. These are associated with villous tumor formations generating digitiform projections at the nail matrix - typical intraoperative findings. We report a rare case of onychomatricoma in which the nail bed was predominantly affected and show evidence of its clinical, intraoperative, and histopathological presentation. The various descriptions of the disease report that its origin is restricted to the nail matrix, leading to secondary changes in the nail plate.

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Abstract: Background: Vitiligo is characterized by a lack of pigmentation in the skin. To date, there are no studies that analyze the changes in gene expression in the skin of vitiligo patients in response to narrow-band ultraviolet B (nb-UVB) phototherapy treatment. Objective: Explore the usefulness of new generation RNA sequencing in the identification of gene expression changes in the skin of vitiligo patients treated with nb-UVB phototherapy. Methods: Four skin biopsies (4mm in diameter) were collected from 45 Mexican vitiligo vulgaris patients, 2 specimens before and 2 after treatment with nb-UVB phototherapy, obtained from pigmented and non-pigmented tissue. RNA extracted from the biopsies was analyzed using the Illumina TruSeq Targeted RNA Expression protocol to study the expression of genes that participate in pathways of skin homeostasis. The 2 groups were compared using Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: The expression analysis identified differences in 12 genes included in this study after comparing the samples obtained before and after treatment: 5 genes involved in skin pigmentation, 2 genes involved in apoptosis, 2 genes involved in cell survival, 2 genes involved in oxidative stress responses and 1 gene involved in signal transduction mechanisms (p<0.05). Study limitations: The small size of skin biopsies limits the amount of RNA obtained, the number of genes to be analyzed and the use of conventional techniques such as RT-qPCR. Conclusion: We demonstrated usefulness of new generation RNA sequencing in the identification of gene expression changes, in addition to identifying new targets in the study of vitiligo.

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BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is characterized by a lack of pigmentation in the skin. To date, there are no studies that analyze the changes in gene expression in the skin of vitiligo patients in response to narrow-band ultraviolet B (nb-UVB) phototherapy treatment. OBJECTIVE: Explore the usefulness of new generation RNA sequencing in the identification of gene expression changes in the skin of vitiligo patients treated with nb-UVB phototherapy. METHODS: Four skin biopsies (4mm in diameter) were collected from 45 Mexican vitiligo vulgaris patients, 2 specimens before and 2 after treatment with nb-UVB phototherapy, obtained from pigmented and non-pigmented tissue. RNA extracted from the biopsies was analyzed using the Illumina TruSeq Targeted RNA Expression protocol to study the expression of genes that participate in pathways of skin homeostasis. The 2 groups were compared using Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: The expression analysis identified differences in 12 genes included in this study after comparing the samples obtained before and after treatment: 5 genes involved in skin pigmentation, 2 genes involved in apoptosis, 2 genes involved in cell survival, 2 genes involved in oxidative stress responses and 1 gene involved in signal transduction mechanisms (p<0.05). STUDY LIMITATIONS: The small size of skin biopsies limits the amount of RNA obtained, the number of genes to be analyzed and the use of conventional techniques such as RT-qPCR. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated usefulness of new generation RNA sequencing in the identification of gene expression changes, in addition to identifying new targets in the study of vitiligo.

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