Dermatologic Immunity

Nickeloff (skin cancer research, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Chicago) and Nestle (cutaneous medicine and immunotherapy, King's College, London School of Medicine at Guy's, UK) assemble 19 review articles on autoimmune disease processes that affect the skin, covering both humoral and cellular immunity. The etiology, cellular and molecular mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, and pathophysiology of diseases such as psoriasis, dermatitis, cutaneous lupus erythematosus, vitiligo, and scleroderma are discussed by individuals in dermatology, genetics, immunology, and pathology who are based around the world. The book is aimed at clinical researchers, students, allergists, immunologists, dermatologists, and internists.

This updated volume provides a “user-friendly” reference for dermatologists, dermatology residents and students, as well as for health care workers in related fields to better understand immune-mediated skin diseases and their therapies. The focus is on what is needed by the physician/resident or student for betting understanding the pathophysiology of the disease as well as the mechanisms of action of the therapies. The reader can easily read about groups of related diseases as well as groups of related therapies. The level of complexity of the book is such that it has practical applications on a daily basis but can also be used by the resident as a teaching tool and as a handy source of review for the boards. In addition, it can be used the practicing dermatologist to study for recertification. The scope of the book is immunology, immunogenetics, immunopathology and immunopharmacology as they relate to clinical dermatology.

This book discusses typical skin diseases from an immunological point of view, introducing the latest immunological techniques and practices. It begins with a brief overview of the human immune system, including the basic concepts and principles as well as the general symbols used in immunology. Part Two describes the human skin as an integral part of the immune system, explaining the immunological roles of major cellular and molecular composites in the skin. Part Three illustrates typical skin diseases that have immunological involvement (immunodermatological conditions). It describes 40 skin diseases, focusing on immunological causes, pathogenesis, pattern of reaction and treatment choices and responses. The final part discusses advanced immunodiagnostics and immunotherapy in dermatology, providing detailed descriptions of immune techniques for the diagnosis of skin diseases, their principles and background, indications, requirements for sampling, test protocols, interpretation of results and trouble shooting. This work offers insights into both the systemic immune system and the skin immune system, and integrates the information into discussions of clinical diseases, relevant immune techniques and immunological drugs. Presenting the latest advances in clinical immunology, it is an invaluable resource for dermatologists, residents and graduate students in dermatology.

Immunodermatology is a field covering the majority of skin diseases, including the most prevalent onesin the general population. The Second Edition of Skin Immune System (SIS) discusses immune-mediated skin diseases and disease groups in which the SIS plays a role. It covers major findings in immunophysiology and immunopathology that have occurred since the introduction of the First Edition in 1990. As the subtitle indicates, the Second Edition adds a new emphasis on cutaneous immunology, and also includes new information on immune-based therapeutic interventions and methods, such as phototherapy and the immunological therapy of skin cancer. The book contains Part I, with introductory chapters; Part II, with descriptions of the cellular elements; and Part III, which describes the humoral and molecular components of SIS. Part IV follows to integrate the facts described in Parts II and III into concepts of pathophysiology. It contains a number of concepts entitled "response patterns" that describe how the constitutional elements of SIS work together. New in this edition are the descriptions of immunodermatological diseases individually described in Part V. Part VI is also all new and summarizes principles of immunotherapy.

This book reviews the role of each cell subset in the skin, providing the basics for understanding skin immunology and the mechanisms of skin diseases. The skin is one of the immune organs and is continually exposed to foreign antigens and external stimuli that must be monitored and characterized for possible elimination. Upon exposure to foreign antigens, the skin can elicit a variety of immune responses in harmony with skin components that include keratinocytes, dendritic cell subsets, mast cells, basophils, fibroblasts, macrophages, gamma-delta T cells, neutrophils, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, vascular and lymphatic cells, hair follicles, platelets, and adipose tissues, among others. In the past 10 years, knowledge of immunology has expanded drastically in areas such as innate immunity (Toll-like receptors, C-type lectins), and host defenses to bacteria and viruses, and this increased knowledge has led to the development of more effective treatment of psoriasis and other skin diseases. This book provides updates on the mechanisms of skin diseases including contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, urticaria, drug eruption, bullous diseases, anaphylaxis, graft-versus-host disease, rosacea, lymphoma, photodermatology, and collagen vascular diseases. Understanding the basics of skin immunology will help clinicians and dermatologists use new therapeutics such as biologics efficiently. Serving as an intermediary between basic science and clinical medicine, this book gives readers the opportunity to understand and marvel at the mystery and fascination of skin immunology.

Top scientific authors contribute their expertise and put a wealth of complex information into perspective in Skin Immune System: Cutaneous Immunology & Clinical Immunodermatology, Third Edition. This edition provides an overview of the skin immune system (SIS), a totally updated section on immunodermatological diseases, and six new chapters. Part I presents historical and comparative information on immunodermatology and includes a new chapter on the immunogenetics of inflammatory skin disease, while Part II covers the cellular elements of SIS and highlights newly defined functional subclasses of cells. Part III describes the humoral elements of SIS and provides two new chapters which focus on defensins and cathelicidins, and on the chemokines of human skin. Part IV discusses how the cellular and humoral elements of SIS interact under different circumstances and includes a new chapter on signal transduction pathways in cutaneous immunology. Part V focuses on dermatological diseases with a significant immunological background with a new chapter on the immunology of cutaneous drug eruptions, followed by Part VI on immunotherapy in dermatology, which features a new chapter reflecting the recent wave of products from biotechnology. Since the publication of the previous editions, a great deal of significant information has become available in almost all areas of cutaneous immunology and clinical immunodermatology. This progress has now been reflected in a completely updated and expanded resource.

Peter A. Miescher The skin has always been one of the major targets to clinicians interested in immunology. Initially, the main focus was centred on allergic conditions such as contact hypersensitivity and urticeria. Gradually, the spectrum of immunological conditions involving the skin increased, encompassing diseases such as Dermatitis Herpetiformis, Erythema Muitiforme, Cutaneous Bullous Disorders and Photo toxic Reactions. It has been the intention of the editors of Springer Seminars in Immu nopathology to cover the broad spectrum of immune phenomena encountered in dermatological diseases with special emphasis to newer developments in Immunopathology. Dr. 1. N. Gigli has managed to assemble a series of important contributions within two issues of the Journal which are of such an interest to dermatologists that we decided to publish this topic as a separate volume for all dermatologists who do not have access to Seminars in Immunopathology. 3 Immunologically Mediated Epidermal Cell Injury Richard D. Sontheimer* and James N. Gilliam Division of Dermatology, University of Texas Health Science Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75235, USA Introduction The epidermis is a functional unit of different cell types that has the critical role of protecting man from his environment. The three major cell types that make up the epidermis (keratinocytes, melanocytes, and Langerhans cells) serve different protective functions. The vast majority of epidermal cells are keratinocytes (Fig. 1).

This book presents the state of the art in cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the immune response in allergic inflammation. Special attention is given to the central role of regulatory T cells (Treg) in immune regulation and induction of peripheral tolerance, as well as to the relevance of Th17 cells in chronic inflammation. The importance of Treg and Th17 cells is demonstrated in bronchial asthma, atopic eczema, contact dermatitis and delayed-type hypersensitivity. Furthermore, T-cell-mediated regulatory mechanisms in helminthic infections and fungal allergy are discussed. Several chapters are devoted to the therapeutic consequences that these recently discovered T-cell functions may have. Their role as a potential target for specific immunotherapy is evaluated and novel approaches for peripheral tolerance induction and treatment of allergic and asthmatic diseases and inflammation are suggested. Stem cell transplantation as a future therapeutic intervention in regulatory T-cell disorders is also considered. Well edited and up to date, this volume is recommended reading for allergologists, immunologists, dermatologists and any scientist interested in the immunological events regulating allergic inflammation in general and allergic manifestations in different organs.