Laser tattoo removal is an effective technique, but multiple rounds of treatment are required to eliminate tattoos, which can be a challenge for patients who do not have the time. Additionally, there is relatively limited research on the mechanisms of laser tattoo removal, necessitating further in-depth studies. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of an Er:YAG laser combined with a 755-picosecond laser for tattoo removal and the changes in skin diffuse reflection, pigment particle size, macrophage recruitment, and inflammatory factor levels during combined laser treatment. Our experiments used three sets of lasers-an Er:YAG laser, a 755 nm picosecond laser, and an Er:YAG laser combined with a 755 nm picosecond laser-for tattoo removal. The effects of tattoo removal at different time points were evaluated. Moreover, the mechanisms were explored using HE staining, immunohistochemistry, diffuse reflectance measurements, in vitro gel tests, mass spectrometry, and ELISA experiments. The combined treatment was more effective for tattoo removal in rats. The combined laser treatment effectively reduced diffuse reflection from the skin, thereby increasing the effective laser power, reducing the size of the pigment particles, allowing for easier removal of the pigment, and increasing the recruitment of dermal macrophages and the release of inflammatory factors, thus increasing the rate of tattoo removal in vivo.

The immune escape of colon cancer and its role in the response to immunotherapies such as PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors have long been of great interest. The positive outcomes of immunotherapy are limited by the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment. Integrin αvβ6, which can regulate the progression of colon cancer, was recently reported to be involved in the immune suppression of colon cancer. In the present study, we explored the correlation between αvβ6 and PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry of colon cancer tissues. Then, the regulation of PD-L1 signaling by αvβ6 in colon cancer cells was demonstrated. We constructed an in vivo model and performed immunophenotyping experiments to analyze further the regulation of the immune response by αvβ6. The role of αvβ6 in the response to anti-PD-1 therapy in colon cancer was also verified. αvβ6-positive tissues exhibited increased PD-L1 expression. Inhibition of αvβ6 not only downregulated constitutive PD-L1 expression but also decreased IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression. In addition, αvβ6-induced PD-L1 expression was suppressed by the ERK inhibitor PD98059, and knockdown of the β6-ERK2 binding site had the equivalent effect. αvβ6 decreased CD8+ T cell infiltration and granzyme B expression in CD8+ T cells in colon cancer patients. Furthermore, mice engrafted with αvβ6-expressing colon cancer cells exhibited an unsatisfactory response to anti-PD-1 therapy, and anti-PD-1-induced increases in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell infiltration could be inhibited by αvβ6. These results indicate that αvβ6 mediates immune escape in colon cancer by upregulating PD-L1 through the ERK/MAPK pathway. Moreover, αvβ6 could serve as a marker for the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy in colon cancer.

BackgroundThe therapeutic efficacy of laser treatments for acquired bilateral nevus of Ota-like macules (ABNOM) varies among studies, and few studies have evaluated the factors affecting therapeutic effects. AimsTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (QSNYL) therapy for ABNOM and to identify the factors influencing the outcome. MethodsA total of 110 patients with ABNOM were retrospectively evaluated and received two-to-nine treatment sessions. The effects of different factors on the therapeutic effect were analyzed on the basis of the number of treatments, age at first treatment, skin type, lesion color, affected area, number of lesion sites, and presence of concomitant melasma. ResultsThe curative effect was positively correlated with the treatment time and negatively correlated with the increasing age at first treatment (p < 0.05). The curative effect was better in patients with skin type III than those with type IV ( p < 0.05) and in patients with a lesion area of less than 10 cm(2) than those with a larger affected area (p < 0.05). Additionally, the treatment effect was poorer in patients with concomitant melasma (p < 0.05). The treatment effect was not significantly correlated with the lesion color or number of affected sites (p > 0.05). Eleven patients (10%) developed postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). ConclusionsEarly and repeated QSNYL therapy achieved satisfactory results for ABNOM. The risk of PIH after laser treatment is highest among patients with older age, darker lesion color, and darker skin color. For patients with ABNOM with concurrent melasma, low-energy laser therapy is recommended to reduce the risk of melasma aggravation.

Rationale: Calcinosis cutis is a rare skin disease, and idiopathic cases are rarely reported. It is characterized by the deposition of insoluble calcium salts in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, superficial muscles, and tendon sheaths. However, no abnormal changes were found in the bone. In this article, we introduce a case of idiopathic calcinosis cutis of the buttocks with a long course and large lesion area.Patient concerns: A 51-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital with a chief complaint of 'Due to the discovery of hard nodules with pruritus in the buttocks for 32 years. The patient was a male who was 51 years old. He has been in good health and reported no history of surgery, trauma, infection, metabolic disease, tumor, or other diseases. There was no family history. It is worth noting that the patient has the occupation of driving trucks, which keeps him sedentary.Diagnoses: The accurate diagnosis of calcinosis cutis was confirmed by postoperative histopathological examination with many local calcifications and multinucleated giant cells in subcutaneous tissue.Interventions: The patient underwent skin lesion excision and autologous skin grafting under general anesthesia. A medium-thickness skin graft from the left lateral thigh was transplanted into the hip operation area, and a bolus tie-over pressure dressing was applied. After the operation, the patient received anti-infection treatment and was advised to rest in the prone position to prevent extrusion of the operation area.Outcomes: The postoperative recovery was good, and there was no recurrence after 4 months of follow-up.Lessons: The incidence rate of cutaneous calcinosis is not clear. This patient had a large lesion area, long onset time, an invasion of the fat layer, and the onset site was located in the sacrococcygeal region. It is necessary to choose appropriate treatment methods.

Objective:To understand the relevant situation of people seeking tattoo removal in laser cosmetic clinics.Methods:A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted among respondents seeking tattoo removal who visited the Laser Cosmetic Clinic of the Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong First Medical University from June 2021 to May 2022. The survey content mainly included: basic information of the tattoo respondents, tattoo-related situations, respondents’ cognition of tattoos, and 30 questions on tattoo removal needs. The questionnaire responses were statistically analyzed, and differences were analyzed according to the gender, age of the tattoo respondents, and educational level at the time of tattooing. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted on the general information of the questionnaire; Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test or Pearson’ s chi-squared test were used for the analysis of the difference in the composition ratio of each data.Results:A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed and 142 valid questionnaires were collected. There were 81 male and 61 female tattoo respondents, and (21.8±4.9) years (13- 41 years) . The result of the survey showed that 52.8% (75/142) of the respondents were minors (<18 years old) at the time of tattooing, and 97.2% (138/142) were <24 years old at the time of tattooing; 67.6% (96/142) regretted the act of tattooing; 73.2% (104/142) of the respondents themselves asked for the removal of tattoos; who removed their tattoos for personal development (joining the army, working, studying) was 68.3% (97/142) ; only 23.2% (33/142) of the respondents understood the harms of tattoos; and 21.8% (31/142) of the respondents suffered from adverse reactions after getting tattoos. The percentage of respondents who hid their tattoos from their family members was 82.4% (117/142) ; the percentage of respondents whose family members approved of the tattoos was only 25.4% (36/142) . Analysis of variance showed that there was no correlation between the education level of the respondents and their knowledge of the dangers of tattooing ( P>0.05) ; the reasons for removing tattoos were correlated with the age and gender of the respondents at the time of consultation ( P<0.01) ; the size of tattoos was correlated with the gender of the respondents ( P<0.01) and the female respondents were more inclined to choose a small tattoo; the age of tattooing of the respondents was correlated with the level of education of the respondents when they had tattooed themselves ( P<0.01) , the proportion of tattoos aged <18 years old was highest among respondents with junior high school education at the time of tattooing [76.2% (32/42) ] , and this proportion tended to decrease significantly as the education level at the time of tattooing increased. Conclusions:The respondents seeking tattoo removal in the laser cosmetic clinic are mainly teenagers. About half of the respondents were minors at the time of tattooing, and most of them were not aware of the dangers of tattoos. There is a certain correlation between the age of the respondents and their educational background at the time of tattooing. There are certain differences in the reasons for removing tattoos among respondents depending on gender and age. There is no correlation between the educational background of the respondents and their understanding of the dangers of tattoos.