Quoi de neuf en recherche dermatologique ?

The document discussed several dermatological research findings from 2008. Key highlights included the role of polyomavirus in Merkel cell carcinoma, the regulatory function of micro-RNAs in skin inflammation, and the discovery of a new virus, Spoutnik, affecting larger viruses. It also covered the involvement of dot-cells in scarless fetal skin healing, the pathogenic role of IL-17 producing CD4+ T cells in atopic dermatitis, and the genetic susceptibility to psoriasis linked to β-defensins. Additionally, it explored the autoimmune nature of alopecia areata, the role of dendritic cells in psoriasis, and the antimicrobial function of mast cells and sebocytes. A significant finding was the identification of a susceptibility locus at 20p11 for androgenetic alopecia, affecting 40% of adults, and the genetic determinants of hair and skin pigmentation.