Cereblon upregulation overcomes thalidomide resistance in multiple myeloma through mitochondrial functional reprogramming.

Patients with multiple myeloma develop resistance to thalidomide during therapy, and the mechanisms to counteract thalidomide resistance remain elusive. Here, we explored the interaction between cereblon and mitochondrial function to mitigate thalidomide resistance in multiple myeloma. Measurements of cell viability, ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial ROS, and protein expression via western blotting were conducted in vitro using KSM20 and KMS26 cells to assess the impact of thalidomide on multiple myeloma.

Effect of Amount of Daily Water Intake and Use of Moisturizer on Skin Barrier Function in Healthy Female Participants.

Background: It is well known that adequate water intake and moisturizer application improves skin barrier function.

Objective: This study was conducted to analyze the effects of daily water intake and moisturizer application on skin barrier function and the degree of response to barrier recovery.

Methods: Participants with daily water intake more than 1 L were classified as high daily water intake group (H) and those with less than 1 L as low daily water intake group (L).

Two-dimensional planimetry for alopecia areata severity evaluation compared with severity of alopecia tool: A pilot study.

Background: Severity of Alopecia Tool (SALT) is widely used to assess the severity of alopecia areata (AA). However, physician-related subjectivity exists in SALT scoring (S1-5), especially with initial inspection in the clinical practice. This study investigated two-dimensional planimetric method to calculate actual surface area of AA, validating SALT scoring.

Evaluation of Sleep Disturbance in Alopecia Areata through Questionnaire: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as a Reasonable Tool.

Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is common non-scarring hair loss disease. Sleep distrubance has been regarded as a triggering or aggravating factor for AA. However, objective evaluation of sleep disturbance and its clinical effect on AA has not been clearly demonstrated.

Effect of Echinochrome A on Submandibular Gland Dysfunction in Ovariectomized Rats.

Post-menopausal dry mouth or xerostomia is caused by reduced salivary secretion. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of echinochrome A (Ech A) in alleviating submandibular gland dysfunctions in ovariectomized rats that mimic menopause. Female rats that were eight-weeks-old were randomly divided into SHAM-6, -12; OVX-6, -12; and ECH-6, -12 groups (consisting of 6- and 12-weeks post-sham-operated, ovariectomized, and Ech A-treated ovariectomized rats, respectively).

Echinochrome A Inhibits Melanogenesis in B16F10 Cells by Downregulating CREB Signaling.

Excessive increase in melanin pigment in the skin can be caused by a variety of environmental factors, including UV radiation, and can result in spots, freckles, and skin cancer. Therefore, it is important to develop functional whitening cosmetic reagents that regulate melanogenesis. In this study, we investigated the effects of echinochrome A (Ech A) on melanogenesis in the B16F10 murine melanoma cell line.

Comparative analysis of dermal collagen and lipids in cereblon ablated mice using a multimodal nonlinear optical system.

By utilizing a multimodal nonlinear optical system that combines coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and second harmonic generation to investigate biological characteristics of dermal tissues ex vivo, we demonstrate the potential feasibility of using this optical approach as a powerful new investigative tool for future biomedical research. For this study, our optical system was utilized for the first time to analyze lipid and collagen profiles in cereblon knockout (KO) mouse skin, and we were able to discover significant alterations in the number of carbon-carbon double bonds (wild-type vs. cereblon KO; N : 0.

Echinochrome A Treatment Alleviates Atopic Dermatitis-like Skin Lesions in NC/Nga Mice via IL-4 and IL-13 Suppression.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease in which skin barrier dysfunction leads to dryness, pruritus, and erythematous lesions. AD is triggered by immune imbalance and oxidative stress. Echinochrome A (Ech A), a natural pigment isolated from sea urchins, exerts antioxidant and beneficial effects in various inflammatory disease models.

Echinochrome A Protects against Ultraviolet B-induced Photoaging by Lowering Collagen Degradation and Inflammatory Cell Infiltration in Hairless Mice.

Echinochrome A (Ech A, 7-ethyl-2,3,5,6,8-pentahydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) has been known to exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, no study has been carried out on the efficacy of Ech A against skin photoaging; this process is largely mediated by oxidative stress. Six-week-old male SKH-1 hairless mice ( = 36) were divided into five groups.

Cereblon: promise and challenges for combating human diseases.

Cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate recognition protein in the E3-ligase ubiquitin complex. The binding target of CRBN varies according to tissues and cells, and the protein regulates various biological functions by regulating tissue-specific targets. As new endogenous targets of CRBN have been identified over the past decade, the physiological and pathological functions of CRBN and its potential as a therapeutic target in various diseases have greatly expanded.

Palisaded encapsulated neuroma on the lower lip: a case report.

Palisading encapsulated neuroma is a rare, benign, cutaneous nerve sheath tumor. It usually occurs as an asymptomatic solitary skin-colored papule and commonly affects the nose and cheeks. Sometimes, it involves other sites, including the shoulder, upper arm, and trunk, but rarely involves the oral mucosa, including that of the lip.

Associations between HLA-A, -B, and -C alleles and iodinated contrast media-induced hypersensitivity in Koreans.

A common cause of drug hypersensitivity reactions is iodinated contrast media (ICM). ICM-induced hypersensitivity had been considered to be a non-immunological reaction, but evidence for an immunological mechanism has increased recently. Thus, we evaluated whether HLA-A, -B, and -C alleles were associated with ICM-induced hypersensitivity.

Alitretinoin Compliance in Patients with Chronic Hand Eczema.

Background: Oral alitretinoin is effective in the treatment of chronic hand eczema (CHE), and ≥12 weeks of alitretinoin treatment has been shown to be effective in Korean patients. However, in the real world, a considerable number of patients discontinue alitretinoin, which leads to treatment failure.

Objective: To evaluate the compliance rate of alitretinoin treatment and explore common reasons for poor compliance in patients with CHE in the real world.

Corrigendum: Analysis of Microscopic Examination of Pulled Out Hair in Telogen Effluvium Patients.

[This corrects the article on p. 141 in vol. 32.

Analysis of Microscopic Examination of Pulled Out Hair in Telogen Effluvium Patients.

Background: Telogen effluvium (TE) is characterized by massive hair shedding and results from an abrupt conversion of anagen to telogen. Differentiation of TE with other hair disorders showing massive hair shedding is difficult.

Objective: To evaluate the morphologic characteristics of pulled out hair of TE.

Validity of Diagnostic Codes for Identification of Psoriasis Patients in Korea.

Background: Recently, the number of nationwide medical researches on psoriasis using the National Health Insurance Service database has been on the rise. However, identification of psoriasis using diagnostic codes alone can lead to misclassification. Accuracy of the diagnostic codes and their concordance with medical records should be validated first to identify psoriasis patients correctly.

Ablation of CRBN induces loss of type I collagen and SCH in mouse skin by fibroblast senescence via the p38 MAPK pathway.

Cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate receptor of the cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL) complex that mediates the ubiquitination of several substrates. In this study, CRBN knockout (KO) mice exhibited decreased levels of stratum corneum hydration (SCH) and collagen I expression with an elevated protein level of matrix metalloprotease 1 (MMP1). The absence of cereblon in the skin of CRBN KO mice mimics the damage caused by narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB).