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Modification of the Effect of Vitamin A Acid on the Skin Tumor Keratoacanthoma by Applications of Actinomycin D¹

Department of Anatomy, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York 10016

Actinomycin D was topically applied in 1 or 2 doses before or after varying doses of vitamin A acid were topically applied to the skin tumor, keratoacanthoma. Vitamin A acid has been previously shown to cause mucous metaplasia in this tumor. When actinomycin D was applied prior to vitamin A acid, mucus was not observed at the macroscopic level. At the fine structure level, no mucigen droplets were present. Glycogen was seen in the keratinocytes and macrophages were present in the dermis. Within the tumor keratinocytes, the Golgi and rough surfaced endoplasmic reticulum were scanty. When actinomycin D was applied after vitamin A acid applications, mucus was macroscopically observed. Mucigen droplets were identified at the electron microscopy level. In addition, cross-sections of ribosome crystals appeared in numerous keratinocytes of the tumor tissue. They were not observed in normal, untreated epithelium.

¹ This study was supported in part by American Cancer Society Institutional Grant IN-14L and in part by Hoffmann-La Roche, Nutley, N. J.

Received 2/ 8/71. Accepted 3/31/71.