Topical retinoids, benzoyl peroxide, azelaic acid, and topical and oral antibiotics remain the milestone of treatment for mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Oral isotretinoin is useful for the treatment of severe nodular acne, treatment-resistant acne, and acne with a risk of physical or psychological scarring. Hormonal treatment in female acne is useful in resistant or late-onset acne. With incre...

Insulin regulates whole-body glucose homoeostasis by modulating the activities of protein kinases in its target tissues: muscle, liver and fat. Defects in insulin's ability to modulate protein kinase activity lead to 'insulin resistance' or impaired insulin action. Insulin resistance in combination with defective insulin secretion from the pancreas results in the elevated blood glucose levels t...

The antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 is overexpressed in a majority of breast cancers, and is associated with a diminished apoptotic response and resistance to various antitumor agents. Bcl-2 inhibition is currently being explored as a possible strategy for sensitizing breast cancer cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents. Antisense Bcl-2 oligonucleotides represent one method for blocking the anti...

In a mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) reaction of allogenic mouse spleen cells differing for H-2K or H-2D, only a weak cytotoxic response is generated. This cytotoxic response is augmented significantly if bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 5 microgram/ml, or polyadenylic acid (poly A):polyuridylic acid (poly U), 20 microgram/ml, is present in the culture. The cytotoxic cells generated in the pre...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent androgen disorder of ovarian function. Hyperinsulinemia with insulin resistance is believed to be a key link in the enigmatic generation of the symptoms of PCOS such as anovulatory infertility and hyperandrogenism. Regression of these symptoms may be achieved by reducing the hyperinsulinemia. A growing body of evidence suggests that PCOS pat...

Potent antiretroviral agents markedly suppress HIV and have dramatically improved the clinical course, prognosis, and survival of HIV-infected patients. Unfortunately, highly active antiretroviral therapy is often compromised by metabolic complications, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and fat redistribution. Together these changes have been termed the HIV-lipodystrophy syndrome, whi...