Volume 6 Issue 2 (2022)

The emerging COVID-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been raised as a global health challenge. Despite the breakthrough in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, it still continues as a serious crisis, worldwide. The aberrant immune responses are strongly associated with the severity of the disease and an increased rate of morbidity and mortality among COVID-19 patients. The complement cascade activation is mediated by classical, lectin, and alternative pathways which could induce an inflammatory state during the COVID-19 infection. The growing body of research suggests that complement system activation plays an important role in the immunopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the blockade of complement cascades may be an effective approach to prevent the multi-organ complications of COVID-19. In this review, we will highlight the role of the complement system in the immunopathology of COVID-19, emphasizing the potential therapeutical targets to ameliorate COVID-19 infection.

Despite numerous advances in fertility techniques, some individuals experience implantation failure. One of the therapeutic approaches is the study of immunological aspects of the implantation process in recurrent implantation failure (RIF) patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) therapy and platelet-rich plasma are currently available cell therapies. The aim of this study was to determine the expressions of the FGFR-2 and LIF genes that are regulated by miR-199a-5p and miR-125b-5p. These genes play a fundamental role in implantation in RIF patients treated with PBMCs. 20 patients clinically diagnosed with RIF were randomly assigned to a RIF patient with PBMCs intrauterine infusion group (n = 10) and RIF group (n = 10). Normal, healthy females (n = 10) comprised the control group. In order to examine the efficacy of the PBMCs injection in the treatment group, expressions of miR-199a-5p and miR-125-5p and FGFR-2 and LIF as their target genes, were evaluated in all three groups and were compared the results. We discovered that the RIF group had higher expressions of miR-199a-5p and miR-125-5p along with decreased expressions of their target genes. However, both FGFR-2 and LIF gene had elevated expressions in the RIF patients with PBMCs intrauterine infusion group compared to the RIF group, with significant decrease in miR-199a-5p and miR-125b-5p reciprocally. The treatment with PBMCs can be effective in changing the expression of microRNAs and genes associated with endometrial receptivity and by changes in the expression of them and their role during embryo development improve this process.

The recently extended use of mRNA vaccines due to the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the description of multiple cutaneous adverse events including local injection site reactions, urticaria, and morbilliform eruptions. COVID-19 vaccine-related cutaneous reaction patterns can be divided into type Ⅰ hypersensitivity reactions, type Ⅳ hypersensitivity reactions, autoimmune-related, and functional angiopathies based on pathogenesis. Erythema multiforme (EM), a type IV hypersensitivity reaction, has also been reported from several centers. We experienced the remarkable improvement of COVID-19 vaccine-related EM with systemic administration of prednisolone and summarized six cases experienced in our department.

As a self-degradative and recycling program, autophagy plays an essential role in homeostasis and life. The connection between autophagy and the status of the adipose tissue (white or beige/brown) links to metabolic diseases such as obesity, type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Moreover, autophagy and the renin-angiotensin physiological system play a pivotal role in metabolic syndrome, a disease that can disrupt homeostasis in different organs, including adipose tissue. The crosstalk in adipose tissue maintains low inflammation, brown adipocytes, and autophagic machinery under control. The JAK-STAT signalization pathway and the paracrine action of hormones, adipokines, and cytokines play a role in maintaining the status of low inflammation, brown adipocytes, and autophagic machinery to harness the utmost for obesity immunotherapy.

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a necrotizing vasculitis that targets medium-sized muscular arteries and can involve small-sized arteries. The pathogenesis of classic PAN remains unclear, except for secondary PAN or vasculitis that is indistinguishable from PAN due to genetic abnormalities such as deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2. The histopathological characters of PAN change over time from the onset. The type of remission induction therapy to be adopted depends on the disease severity. When it results in remission, corticosteroid dose reduction will begin and will be shifted to remission maintenance therapy.

Antioxidants are a group of natural phytochemicals found in dietary ingredients that can be utilised to treat oral lesions and diseases. They are employed as chemical compound alternatives since they have less adverse effects. The dietary antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables reduce the damage by modulating detoxification enzymes, increasing immune system, and hormone metabolism. Scientists were drawn to antioxidants because of their ability to modify cell cycle controls, apoptosis, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. They have demonstrated significant success as single treatments or in combination with chemo-preventive medicines for oral lesions.

Inside this article, we will look at the immuno-modulating effects of antioxidants, which aid in the treatments and even sometimes avoidance of numerous oral and maxillofacial conditions that contribute to morbidity, such as autoimmune lesions, and death, such as oral cancer. Antioxidants are chemicals that considerably impede or decrease the degradation of a living matter and defend the organism from oxidative harm. As a result, the sickness will be significantly reduced.

Peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum (PPG) is an uncommon subtype of pyoderma gangrenosum. We describe a 74-year-old woman without inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who developed PG around the jejunostomy and was successfully treated with cyclosporine. In our case, irritations by a lumbar corset and repeated sutures around the jejunostomy seemed to have caused pathergy reaction. It is noteworthy that 20% of PPG patients do not have IBD and therefore patients presenting PPG without IBD should not be overlooked.

Omalizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal anti-IgE antibody used to treat uncontrolled chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Sometimes patients with CSU also have other autoimmune conditions. Recent studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of a combination treatment with omalizumab and other biologics. Here, we report the first successful treatment with omalizumab for CSU and tocilizumab for rheumatoid arthritis. Since omalizumab is unlikely to cause severe immunosuppression, it may be a treatment option for CSU, even in patients treated with other biologics.