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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a small double-stranded DNA virus with tropism for epithelial cells. To this date, over 150 genotypes are known and are classified into two major groups, low-risk and high-risk strains, depending on the ability of the virus to induce malignant transformation. The host’s immunity plays a central role in the course of the infection; therefore, it may not be clinically manifest or may produce various benign or malignant lesions. The pathogenic mechanisms are complex and incompletely elucidated. Recent research suggests the role of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress (OS) in the pathogenesis of HPV infection and the associated carcinogenic processes. Chronic inflammation induces OS, which in turn promotes the perpetuation of the inflammatory process resulting in the release of numerous molecules which cause cell damage. Reactive oxygen species exert a harmful effect on proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Viral oncogenes E5, E6, and E7 are involved in the development of chronic inflammation through various mechanisms. In addition, HPV may interfere with redox homeostasis of host cells, inducing OS which may be involved in the persistence of the infection and play a certain role in viral integration and promotion of carcinogenesis. Knowledge regarding the interplay between chronic inflammation and OS in the pathogenesis of HPV infection and HPV-induced carcinogenesis has important consequences on the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Psoriasis is a physically, emotionally, and socially invalidating multifactorial disorder, with a significant impact on the patients’ quality of life. Stress is one of the leading triggers for psoriasis and has been associated with disease onset and subsequent flare-ups, while the flare-ups by themselves often lead to psychological discomfort. The treatment of psoriasis is individualized, depending on the patients’ measurable severity of illness, as well as the impact the skin condition has on patients’ quality of life, as assessed by standardized questionnaires. The clinical scales used nowadays for measuring the severity of psoriasis are characterized by low reproducibility and high variability between examiners. Hence, there is a real need to identify objectively measurable biomarkers to standardize the assessment of the severity of psoriasis. We aim to review the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in psoriasis, focusing on the most critical advances in psoriasis biomarker discovery, pointing out those biomarkers which have also been studied in other stress-related conditions, thus emphasizing the relationship between psoriasis and stress.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common tumour of the oral cavity, associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is a multifactorial condition, both genetic and environmental factors being involved in its development and progression. Its pathogenesis is not fully elucidated, but a pivotal role has been attributed to inflammation, strong evidence supporting the association between chronic inflammation and carcinogenesis. Moreover, an increasing number of studies have investigated the role of different mediators of inflammation in the early detection of OSCC. In this review, we have summarized the main markers of inflammation that could be useful in diagnosis and shed some light in OSCC pathogenesis.