Clinical Trial: Effects of Arsenic on Keratinocytes in a Skin Equivalent Model

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Unknown status
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Effects of Arsenic on Keratinocytes in a Skin Equivalent Model

Brief Summary: We popose that arsenic-induced lymphocytes dysfunction plays an important role in biological mechanisms of arsenical Bowen’s disease.

Detailed Summary:

Arsenical cancers (comprising skin, bladder, kidney, lung, colon and liver malignancies) were prevalent in southwestern coast of Taiwan where the artesian water was contaminated with high concentration of arsenic. Skin is a main target of arsenical poisoning. The cutaneous manifestations of chronic arsenism can take form as hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, arsenical keratosis and arsenical skin cancers. The most popular arsenical skin cancer is Bowen’s disease, which is a carcinoma in situ of skin and often confined to sun-protected skin. Pathologically, there are several characteristics present in Bowen’s disease: (1) abnormal cell proliferation and carcinogenesis in keratinocytes; (2) dysplasia and apoptosis at the lesion; (3) integrin deficiency/defect in the basal cells of the skin; (4) dysfunctions in peripheral immune cells. Our pervious results indicated that arsenic affected cell cycle regulation by influencing the proliferation and apoptosis of keratinocytes. Furthermore, we found that integrins were deficient in basal layer of lesional and perilesional sites of Bowen’s disease as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. The integrin deficiency in Bowen’s disease might lead to abnormality of cell cycle regulation, differentiation and carcinogenesis. In addition, arsenic can destruct lymphocytes to cytokine regulation and induce lymphocytes apoptosis. We propose that arsenic-induced lymphocytes dysfunction plays an important role in biological mechanisms of arsenical Bowen’s disease. There are many regulatory mechanisms involved in progression of chemical carcinogenesis, including the reactions among carcinogen and target cells, supporting cells and immune interactions. Therefore, this study is to investigate these skin cell-cell interactions induced by arsenic using an organotypic epidermis culture model. By using this model, we can mimic the mechanism of arsenic-induced skin disea
Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital

Current Primary Outcome: we collect foreskin from healthy adults

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: National Taiwan University Hospital

Dates:
Date Received: September 12, 2005
Date Started: June 2005
Date Completion: January 2008
Last Updated: December 20, 2005
Last Verified: November 2004