title: Emerging Role of Interleukin 22 in Hepatitis B Virus Infection: a Double-edged Sword.
abstract: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a worldwide health problem, and is the major cause of hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The innate and adaptive immune responses of the HBV-infected host contribute greatly to the development and pathogenesis of chronic HBV infection, and often affect the efficacy of anti-HBV drugs. Interleukin (IL)-22 is a newly identified cytokine that is involved in the pathogenesis of liver disease, but its role in liver inflammation in patients with HBV infection remains controversial. In this report, we summarize the production and function of IL-22 in inflammatory environments, and review the current research into IL-22 biology in HBV infection. A better understanding of the intrahepatic microenvironments that directly influence the activity of IL-22 will be important for the development of new immunotherapeutic approaches that target IL-22-producing cells or IL-22 itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shangdong, China ; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Hospital of Shandong University of TCM, Jinan, Shangdong, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shangdong, China ; Institute of Hepatology, Shandong University, Jinan, Shangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Biological Therapy, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ji-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection and Liver Diseases, Liver Research Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zheng
keywords: Hepatitis B; Immune response; Interleukin-17; Interleukin-22