Oncoviruses are implicated in approximately 12% of all human cancers. A large number of the world’s population harbors at least one of these oncoviruses, but only a small proportion of these individuals go on to develop cancer. The interplay between host and viral factors is a complex process that works together to create a microenvironment conducive to oncogenesis. In this review, the molecular biology and oncogenic pathways of established human oncoviruses will be discussed. Currently, there are seven recognized human oncoviruses, which include Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV), Human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1), Human Herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), and Merkel Cell Polyomavirus (MCPyV). Available and emerging therapies for these oncoviruses will be mentioned.

Objective. The autoimmune etiology in psoriasis remains to be clarified. We therefore undertook this study to identify novel pathogenic autoantigens and autoantibodies in patients with psoriasis, with the aim of shedding light on the molecular and cellular basis of the pathogenesis of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).Methods. In this study, we developed an autoantigen array system that harbors a variety of antigens, including typical autoantigens in rheumatic diseases as well as skin antigens, inflammatory mediators, and putative autoantigens in psoriasis. Serum samples from patients with psoriasis (n = 73) were used to interrogate the antigens on the array. In addition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of individual autoantibodies were used in validation studies.Results. Levels of several autoantibodies were found to be elevated in the serum of patients with psoriasis compared to healthy controls; in particular, IgG autoantibodies against 2 novel antigens, LL-37 and ADAMTS-L5, were significantly increased in patients with psoriasis. Importantly, serum levels of IgG autoantibodies against LL-37 and ADAMTS-L5 were correlated with the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index, and reflected disease progression in longitudinally collected serum samples from patients with psoriasis. Importantly, both anti-ADAMTS-L5 and anti-LL-37 autoantibody levels were also significantly elevated in psoriasis patients with PsA compared to those without PsA, suggesting that these molecules may be involved in the pathogenesis of PsA.Conclusion. Our findings indicate that these identified autoantibodies may be useful biomarkers and may serve as therapeutic targets in psoriasis and PsA.

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Background: Mastocytosis describes a heterogeneous group of disorders arising from a clonal proliferation of mast cells. Given the lack of curative treatments for the cutaneous form, there is a significant need for superior therapies. Omalizumab is a recombinant DNA‐derived humanized IgG monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to human immunoglobulin E (IgE). It represents a potential treatment for the management of cutaneous mastocytosis, which currently has no standard treatment. Methods: Two patients were treated with subcutaneous omalizumab 300 mg every 4 weeks. Discussion: Patient 1 experienced 50% reduction in cutaneous infiltration and moderate improvement in pruritus. Patient 2 underwent 90% complete clearance of cutaneous lesions and reported full resolution of pruritus. The median duration of treatment was 24 weeks and time to response was 8 weeks. No significant changes in tryptase levels were observed. Both patients experienced injection site reactions. Conclusion: We provide evidence from two cases supporting the efficacy of IgE‐mediated therapy in the treatment of cutaneous mastocytosis. Even at a higher‐than‐standard dose (300 mg vs. 150 mg), the drug was well‐tolerated. As we await the results of pivotal clinical trials, omalizumab appears to be a promising treatment option in patients with cutaneous mastocytosis unresponsive to traditional therapies.