DENDRITIC CELLS AFFECT ONSET PROGRESS OF PSORIASIS

Different types of dendritic cells in human skin have assorted functions in the early and more advanced stages of psoriasis report researchers in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine. The scientists suggest that new strategies to regulate the composition of dendritic cells in psoriatic skin lesions might represent an approach for the future treatment of the disease

"We urgently need new ways to treat psoriasis, treatments that will deliver improved benefits to patients and reduce the incidence of known side effects for existing drugs," says EMBO Member Maria Sibilia, a Professor at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, and one of the lead authors of the study. "Our experiments have revealed that increases in the number of plasmacytoid dendritic cells are important early triggers of the disease while other types of dendritic cells, the Langerhans cells, help to protect the balance of the immune response that is established during inflammation of the skin."

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects around 125 million people worldwide. Symptoms, which include the formation of red inflamed lesions that appear on the skin, vary from mild to severe. The disease is often associated with other serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.

The researchers observed an increase in the accumulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the psoriatic lesions of patients as well as in mice that are model organisms for the study of the disease. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells are a specific type of immune cell that can infiltrate damaged tissue during the early phase of psoriasis. In contrast, the levels of another type of dendritic cells known as Langerhans cells, were significantly decreased in the lesions compared to healthy skin in humans and mice. If the levels of plasmacytoid dendritic cells in mice were decreased during the early stages of the disease then the symptoms of psoriasis were quelled. A similar decrease in Langerhans cells at an early stage of the disease had no effect. If the levels of Langerhans cells were reduced at advanced stages of the disease, the symptoms of psoriasis were exacerbated.

"The changes in the severity of symptoms we have observed related to changes in the composition of dendritic cells most likely impact the balance of inflammatory mediators at the site of disease. It may well be that by inducing favourable compositions of dendritic cells at the early stages of psoriasis we may be able to help reduce the effects of psoriasis by achieving a better balance of these mediators at the site of the disease. Further work is needed before we can say with any certainty if such an approach will lead to a viable clinical treatment for psoriasis."

Temperature Changes Affect Neuropathy Symptoms

Today's short post from philadelphia.cbslocal.com (see link below) will confirm what many neuropathy patients suspect and that is that changes in the weather, especially sudden changes, can have a significant effect on their symptoms. It's pretty much a non-story really because everybody is affected by temperature changes to one extent or another but it's interesting to hear a doctor mention neuropathy (and other neurological conditions) as one of the diseases which is significantly affected by weather swings. Of course, winter weather flashes danger to all neuropathy sufferers, who have to become paranoid about balance and sensory issues in order to stay on their feet but every reader with nerve damage will be well aware of that! It also sounds pretty desperate but every media article that mentions neuropathy, helps with neuropathy awareness which despite the millions of sufferers, remains under the radar in medical exposure terms, so kudos to CBS!

Frigid Cold To Spring-Like: How Temperature Swings Affect Your Health
January 12, 2017 12:16 PM By Tim Jimenez

JENKINTOWN, Pa. (CBS) – Spring like temperatures in the region today which is a big swing from the frigid blast earlier this week. So, does the roller coaster on the thermometer mean you’re more likely to get sick?

Temperatures have gone from the deep freeze to April-esque and Dr. John Russell, Director of the Family Medicine Residency Program at Abington Hospital-Jefferson Health, says people with certain health conditions can feel worse with the shift.

“So, I certainly think, when the temperature changes, people who have orthopedic conditions, neurologic conditions will often feel worse,” Russell said. “People with arthritis. People with neuropathy. Migraines can sometimes be triggered by changes in the weather.”

However, Russell emphasizes that a short-term temperature jump does not necessarily mean you’re more likely to catch a cold.

“I don’t think a 60 degree temperature this week is suddenly gonna impact people’s health,” he said.

Russell, however, said a more significant change, from fall to winter, brings more potential for health problems.

“There are much higher death rates in January, February, March than other months of the year. Heart disease is higher. We certainly have more infectious disease. It’s flu season right now so more people are sick. People who have asthma, COPD, can have more bronchospasm from cold air. Certainly I think there are more extremes overall in cold weather than (warm) weather health-wise.”

And since it is flu season, Dr. Russell thinks a spring-like day may actually do some good.

“Most of the hospitals in the Delaware Valley are filled with patients,” he said. “I think a lot of that is different viral infectious diseases, including flu and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), so right now there are a lot of people sick. So, maybe getting outdoors and getting away from each other may not be a bad thing.”

And no matter what the temperature is…

“People should be getting their flu shot,” Russell said. “And when people are sick, washing your hands is very, very, very important. Hand washing I think can keep us all healthy. A lot of viruses can live on surfaces. Touching a door knob, an elevator button and things like that can be a way to transmit illnesses. I think that’s the biggest risk for ourselves.”

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2017/01/12/frigid-cold-to-spring-like-how-temperature-swings-affect-your-health/