Background. The role of interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-23 (IL-23), and interleukin-17 (IL-17) has been recognized in psoriasis pathogenesis, and new drugs targeting this axis have already been developed which may provide a new therapeutic approach for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Objective. To compare the direct and indirect evidences of the efficacy and safety of brodalumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, ustekinumab, guselkumab, tildrakizumab, and risankizumab in the short-term treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis using network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods. A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for the available relevant studies. NMA was conducted by Stata 15.0 software using relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval to assess the clinical effectiveness and safety. Ranked the efficacy and safety for each drug accordance with the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Results. This meta-analysis included 28 studies. All the interventions performed better than placebo in short-term achievement. Based on the result of SUCRA, ixekizumab 80 mg every 2 weeks ranked the highest in short-term achievement of PASI 75 (SUCRA = 93.0%). Brodalumab 210 mg ranked the highest in short-term achievement of PASI 100 (SUCRA = 85.0%). Secukinumab 300 mg ranked the highest in short-term achievement of sPGA 0/1 or IGA 0/1 or PGA 0/1 (SUCRA = 98.1%). In terms of having a risk of adverse events, the rates were higher in brodalumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, and ustekinumab 45 mg compared with placebo. Ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks ranked the highest in the risk of adverse events during short-term treatment (SUCRA = 4.5%). Guselkumab 50 mg ranked the highest in the risk of serious adverse events during short-term treatment (SUCRA = 25.9%). Ixekizumab 80 mg every 4 weeks ranked the highest in the risk of discontinuations due to adverse events during short-ter treatment (SUCRA = 10.7%). Conclusions. IL-17, IL-12/23, and IL-23 inhibitors had high efficacy in the achievement of PASI 75, PASI 100, and sPGA 0/1 or IGA 0/1 or PGA 0/1 in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis after 12 or 16 weeks of treatment. IL-17 inhibitors showed superior efficacy. However, its clinical safety was poor. Risankizumab appeared to have relatively high efficacy and low risk. The clinical tolerance of other biological agents needs to be further observed.

PurposeTo evaluate the association of serum levels of adipokines and cytokines with psoriasis.Materials and MethodsA comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, ScienceDirect and Web of Science for the available relevant studies published before December 1, 2016. Differences in serum marker levels between patients and controls were pooled as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence interval to combine the effect estimations. We also conducted stratified analysis, meta-regression analysis and sensitivity analysis.ResultsSixty-three studies containing 2876 psoriasis patients and 2237 healthy controls were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled serum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, IL-22, chemerin, lipocalin-2, resistin, sE-selectin, fibrinogen and C3 were higher in psoriasis patients compared with healthy controls (all P < 0.05). In contrast, adiponectin levels were lower. Serum levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17, IL-21, IL-23, visfatin and omentin were not significantly different between psoriasis patients and controls (all P > 0.05). However, increased serum levels of IL-17 correlated with psoriasis in men. For other biomarkers, age, gender and psoriasis area and severity index did not explain the differences in effect size between the studies.ConclusionsSerum levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, IL-22, chemerin, lipocalin-2, resistin, sE-selectin, fibrinogen, complement 3, and adiponectin correlate with psoriasis and can be used as potential biomarkers for psoriasis and response to the treatment. Future studies are needed to identify additional players involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and to fully decipher the underlying mechanism.

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The development of a three-dimensionally flexible, large-surface area, high-conductivity electrode is important to improve the low conductivity and utilization of active materials and restrict the shuttle of long-chain polysulfides in Li-polysulfide batteries. Herein, we constructed an integrated three-dimensional carbon nanotube forest/carbon cloth electrode with heteroatom doping and high electrical conductivity. The as-constructed electrode provides strong trapping on the polysulfide species and fast charge transfer. Therefore, the Li-polysulfide batteries with as-constructed electrodes achieved high specific capacities of ∼1200 and ∼800 mA h g at 0.1 and 1 C, respectively. After 300 cycles at 0.5 C, a specific capacity of 623 mA h g was retained.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with high morbidity, poor treatment methods and high rates of relapse. Keratinocyte hyperproliferation and shortened cell cycles are important pathophysiological features of psoriasis. As a known oncogene, Yes-associated protein (YAP) plays a role in promoting cell proliferation and inhibiting cell apoptosis; however, whether YAP is involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis remains to be determined. Amphiregulin (AREG), a transcriptional target of YAP, was found to be upregulated in psoriasis, and overexpression of AREG promoted keratinocyte proliferation. In the present study, immunohistochemistry showed that YAP expression was elevated in the skin of psoriasis patients and in the Imiquimod (IMQ) mouse model of psoriasis. Knockdown of YAP in HaCaT cells inhibited cell proliferation, caused cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and promoted apoptosis. These changes in YAP-knockdown HaCaT cells were related to changes in AREG expression. We concluded that YAP may play an important role in the regulation of abnormal keratinocyte proliferation via an AREG-dependent pathway and that YAP could be a new target in the treatment of psoriasis.