Although numerous clinical trials have been implemented, an absolutely effective treatment against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still elusive. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) has attracted great interest over recent years, making it one of the best-studied cytokines of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) family. Unlike most interleukins, the major impact of IL-22 is exclusively on fibroblasts and epithelial cells due to the restricted expression of receptor. Numerous studies have suggested that IL-22 plays a crucial role in anti-viral infections through significantly ameliorating the immune cell-mediated inflammatory responses, and reducing tissue injury as well as further promoting epithelial repair and regeneration. Herein, we pay special attention to the role of IL-22 in the lungs. We summarize the latest progress in our understanding of IL-22 in lung health and disease and further discuss maneuvering this cytokine as potential immunotherapeutic strategy for the effective manage of COVID-19.

Background: Circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are considered as potentially non-invasive biomarkers for early detection and prognosis of cancers. Due to the lack of highly sensitive and specific molecular markers, a lot of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are diagnosed in advanced stages. This study aims to explore the expression mode and clinical detection value of serum exosomal miR-34a in HCC, providing new potential targets and theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and prognosis monitoring of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The highly successful epidemic of healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) ST239 is a growing concern worldwide, due to its progressive adaptation to the highly selective environment of the healthcare system. HA-MRSA ST239 display the reduced virulence and successfully colonize in hospital settings, while the emergent community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) maintain full virulence and cause infections in the community environment. Our aim was to investigate what enables S. aureus ST239 to be highly adaptive under hospital circumstances and gradually progress to a series of widespread invasive infections. We found that spa expression of HA-MRSA ST239 is much higher than that of CA-SA ST398. And we discovered that the highly production of staphylococcal protein A (SpA), having no concern with spa gene structure, enhances nasal colonization and cell adhesion in ST239. S. aureus ST239 defends against the adaptive immune response by resisting phagocytosis and inducing apoptosis of B cells through expression of surface-anchored and released protein A, facilitating its dissemination within the circulatory system to other organs. Protein A also plays another key role in subverting the host immune response through its ability to induce early shedding of TNF-α receptor 1 (TNFR1) from phagocytic cells. The increased levels of soluble TNFR1 present during experimental S. aureus ST239 infection may neutralize circulating TNF-α and impair the host inflammatory response. Protein A is also a virulence factor, as tested in our bacteremia model in mice, contributing to the durative tissue damage of abscess formation sites in ST239 infection. These functions of protein A eventually benefit to widespread infections of S. aureus ST239. We draw the conclusion that Staphylococcal Protein A may be a crucial determinant in the duration of colonization and immune evasion of ST239 infections, contributing to persistent spread in the hospital settings. These results suggest that antibodies against protein A may provide insights into the development of novel treatments against S. aureus, especially HA-MRSA.

Impaired clearance of amyloid β (Aβ) in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects disease progression. The role of peripheral monocytes in Aβ clearance from the central nervous system (CNS) is unclear. We use a flow cytometry assay to identify Aβ-binding monocytes in blood, validated by confocal microscopy, Western blotting, and mass spectrometry. Flow cytometry immunophenotyping and correlation with AD biomarkers are studied in 150 participants from the AIBL study. We also examine monocytes in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and their migration in an APP/PS1 mouse model. The assay reveals macrophage-like Aβ-binding monocytes with high phagocytic potential in both the periphery and CNS. We find lower surface Aβ levels in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD-dementia patients compared to cognitively unimpaired individuals. Monocyte infiltration from blood to CSF and migration from CNS to peripheral lymph nodes and blood are observed. Here we show that Aβ-binding monocytes may play a role in CNS Aβ clearance, suggesting their potential as a biomarker for AD diagnosis and monitoring.

Background: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease in conjunction with the systemic inflammatory process. It appears to be related to increased risks of cardiovascular disease events, especially in severe cases. The hemostatic balance is disrupted due to the prothrombotic bias in psoriasis, which might be mainly preserved by platelet hyperactivity. Platelets are also immune cells that initiate and regulate immune and inflammatory processes, except as the principal mediator of hemostasis and thrombosis, and platelet dysfunction is deeply involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Summary: The aim of this study is to perform a review that expounds abnormal platelet function in psoriasis and explains the important role of platelets in the pathogenic mechanism of psoriasis in order to provide new targets for comprehensive medical treatment.

Objective: Serum microRNAs (miRNAs) may serve as biomarkers in various cancers. Our study aims to explore the roles of miR-497 and miR-1246 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: The expression levels of miR-497 and miR-1246 were measured by RT-PCR. A correlation analysis was conducted between the expression levels of miR-497 and miR-1246 and clinicopathological characteristics of patients. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy in HCC. In addition, bioinformatics tools were also utilized to predict the potential targets of miR-497 and miR-1246.Results: The expression level of miR-497 in HCC was significantly down-regulated compared with the control group while the miR-1246 revealed a significantly higher expression level in HCC. There was a significant correlation demonstrated between the expression levels of miR-497 and miR-1246 in preoperative serum of HCC and the differentiation degree, Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) classification, and metastasis. The expression levels of serum miR-497 and miR-1246 were significantly associated with the diagnosis, prognosis, and overall survival rate of patients with HCC. Moreover, the potential target genes of miR-497 in HCC include ARL2, UBE2Q1, PHF19, APLN, CHEK1, CASK, SUCO, CCNE1, and KIF23. The low expression of these nine genes is associated with a better prognosis of HCC patients. AUTS2 is a novel target gene of miR-1246, and its low expression is significantly related to the low overall survival rate of HCC patients.Conclusions: miR-497 and miR-1246 are possibly involved in the progression of HCC by regulating target genes, respectively, and could serve as biomarkers in HCC.