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UrduUnlocking knowledge about the vast and varied collection of viruses that live in and on our bodies is the goal of a $20 million grant from the Common Fund of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to researchers, including a team at UTHealth Houston.
Tag: Immune System
Moffitt Study Shows How Cancer Cell Death May Harm the Immune System and Promote Tumor Growth
A new study has uncovered an unexpected way cancer cells can escape the immune system, making it harder for treatments to work. The study, published in Cancer Cell, explains how a type of cancer cell death can actually make tumors grow faster by turning off the immune system’s ability to fight the cancer.
Diabetes Drug Appears to Fight Lung Cancer — But Only in Overweight or Obese Patients
A widely accessible drug commonly used to control blood glucose levels in diabetic patients has the potential to strengthen the effects of immunotherapy and improve recurrence-free survival in people with lung cancer who are overweight or obese, according to a recently published article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
New study shows how salmonella tricks gut defenses to cause infection
A study led by UC Davis distinguished professor Andreas Bäumler uncovered how Salmonella, a major cause of food poisoning, can invade the gut despite the presence of protective bacteria.
E-Cigarette Residue Exposure in Utero Shows Lasting Effects on Immune Response
Results from a new animal study published in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology found that maternal exposure to e-cigarette residues, with or without nicotine, affected offspring’s immune response later in life.
Editorial Warns of Heart Disease Risks Associated with Yo-Yo Dieting
A new editorial – published in Nature – suggests that frequent fluctuations in diet, commonly known as “yo-yo dieting,” can significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The authors, from the University of Pennsylvania Schools of Nursing and Medicine, describe how cycling between high-fat and low-fat diets in mice led to a substantial acceleration of atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by the buildup of plaque in arteries.
Animals that can cheat death
Some animal species seem to possess extraordinary regenerative abilities. How do they do it? And could we learn from them to defy the grim reaper ourselves?
National Multiple Sclerosis Society awards $1M to Case Western Reserve University researchers to study new approach to treat the disease
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease of the brain and spinal cord that impacts millions worldwide. In MS, the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath—a protective layer surrounding nerve cells in the nervous system. The loss of myelin, combined with ongoing inflammation, causes dysfunction and death of nerve cells, making the disability worse, such as difficulties with movement, coordination, and sensation. Treatments now focus on reducing attacks on myelin, but don’t address nerve-cell damage and death. But with $1 million from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), a research team co-led by Paul Tesar, the Dr. Donald and Ruth Weber Goodman Professor of Innovative Therapeutics and director of the Institute for Glial Sciences, and Ben Clayton, assistant professor and founding member of the Institute for Glial Sciences, both in the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, will take a different
After a Heart Attack, the Heart Signals to the Brain to Increase Sleep to Promote Healing
Mount Sinai study shows how the heart and brain interact to influence sleep patterns and help with recovery
Encrypted peptides, new class of antibiotics, offer hope in fight against antibiotic resistance
In a significant advance against the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, , researchers have identified a novel class of antimicrobial agents known as encrypted peptides, which may expand the immune system’s arsenal of tools to fight infection.
Naked mole-rat has become the first mammalian to have waived infection-resistant proteins
Scientists have found that the naked mole-rat — an underground rodent that lives up to 40 years — has lost a number of CD1 functional genes. The CD1 gene family in mammals is responsible for protein synthesis that protects the body against infectious diseases. The findings indicate that the naked mole-rat’s immune system has significantly realigned and is using other — CD1-independent — molecular mechanisms. The results of the studies, supported by the Grants of Presidential program of the Russian Science Fund (RSF), were published in the Biology Direct magazine.
Scientists at The Wistar Institute Clone Several New Anti-Interferon Antibodies – Developing Future Therapeutic Candidates with Broad Application Potential
Wistar Institute scientists have successfully isolated and cloned fully human antibodies that can block specific Type-I interferon molecules in vitro; their discovery has an array of potential clinical & research applications, enabling scientists with a new way to investigate the role of specific Type-I interferons in a variety of diseases.
Nanoparticles restore efficiency in exhausted immune cells killing cancer
A novel study led by Prof. Mira Barda-Saad and her research team at the Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University has unveiled a novel method to rejuvenate natural killer (NK) cells in the fight against cancer. The study, published on the cover of The EMBO Journal, addresses a critical challenge in cancer immunotherapy — NK cell exhaustion.
Targeting cancer with precision: neoantigen vaccines show promise
In an elegant fusion of science and medicine, neoantigen cancer vaccines are emerging as a formidable strategy in the battle against cancer. These vaccines, a testament to the power of personalized medicine, target cancer’s unique protein signatures, rallying the immune system for a precise and potent attack.
Study: Transplant Possible After Immunotherapy for Advanced Liver Cancer Patients
Liver transplant is considered the best treatment for liver cancer, but only available for patients with early-stage disease. Now a study led by Cedars-Sinai Cancer investigators has concluded that immunotherapy could make liver transplant an option for patients with later-stage cancer as well.
High Levels of a Specific Antibody May Contribute to Acute Coronary Syndrome
How a person’s immune system responds to a protein called LL-37 may increase risk for developing acute coronary syndrome, but the response may also serve as a potential target for future treatments.
New research points to ‘stem-like’ T cells as culprits in ulcerative colitis
The researchers hope to one day target this T cell population via drug therapy. “These cells may be a very important target for treating ulcerative colitis and perhaps other autoimmune diseases…”
Unlocking the immune system: cGAS-STING pathway offers new hope for cancer breakthroughs
A groundbreaking study has recognized the cGAS-STING signaling pathway as a formidable ally in the immune system’s battle against cancer. This pivotal discovery may pave the way for innovative immunotherapies capable of amplifying the body’s inherent defenses to detect and eradicate cancer cells, signifying a substantial advance towards more potent cancer treatments.
Experimental Type 1 Diabetes Drug Shelters Pancreas Cells From Immune System Attack
Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say that an experimental monoclonal antibody drug called mAb43 appears to prevent and reverse the onset of clinical type 1 diabetes in mice, and in some cases, to lengthen the animals’ lifespan.
LJI home to new “Center of Excellence”
The Institute’s Flow Cytometry Core, which provides cutting-edge research services, has been named a BD Biosciences “Center of Excellence.” Along with this distinction, the LJI Flow Core has brought in a sophisticated instrument for immune cell research: the BD FACSDiscover™ S8 Cell Sorter.
Short On Time? A 15-minute Workout May Help Boost Your Immune System
Exercising at moderate intensity for just 15 minutes may be all that is needed to boost immunity by increasing levels of natural killer (NK) cells. Researchers will present their work this week at the American Physiology Summit in Long Beach, California.
LJI welcomes new faculty member Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D.
Cancer researcher Miguel Reina-Campos, Ph.D., has joined the faculty of La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) as an Assistant Professor to lead the Laboratory of Tissue Immune Networks. His laboratory at LJI aims to investigate the basis of CD8+ T cell tissue immunity to improve life-saving cancer immunotherapies.
Turbocharging CRISPR to Understand How the Immune System Fights Cancer
Harvard Medical School scientists develop new CRISPR-based tool to study the immune function of genes.
New gene-editing approach could optimize how scientists study the immune system’s role in cancer and other immune-mediated diseases.
Five Cutting-edge Advances in Biomedical Engineering and Their Applications in Medicine
Bridging precision engineering and precision medicine to create personalized physiology avatars. Pursuing on-demand tissue and organ engineering for human health. Revolutionizing neuroscience by using AI to engineer advanced brain interface systems. Engineering the immune system for health and wellness. Designing and engineering genomes for organism repurposing and genomic perturbations.
Researchers makes promising discoveries on role of vitamin B6 in pancreatic cancer
Vitamin B6 is beneficial in many ways, notably for its role in maintaining a strong immune system.
The immune system’s moonlighters
Our immune system is remarkably powerful. It quickly assembles teams of cells to eliminate threats inside our bodies.
The immune system’s moonlighters
Our immune system is remarkably powerful. It quickly assembles teams of cells to eliminate threats inside our bodies.
Scientists discover hidden army of lung flu fighters
Scientists have long thought of the fluid-filled sac around our lungs merely as a cushion from external damage.
Smoking has long-term effects on the immune system
Like other factors such as age, sex and genetics, smoking has a major impact on immune responses.
Mount Sinai Study Shows That Circulating Immune Cells Drawn to the Brain During Stress Can Control Emotional Behaviors
Findings shed light on mechanisms underlying psychosocial stress and depression susceptibility
Molecule can quickly, and briefly, boost white blood cell counts
Treatment with a molecule known as A485 can quickly and temporarily increase levels of white blood cells, a critical part of the body’s immune system, an effect that is difficult to deliver with currently available pharmaceuticals, a new Yale study finds.
Army of specialized T cells may trigger asthma attacks in older men
LA JOLLA, CA—Scientists from La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) and The University of Southampton, UK, have uncovered a group of immune cells that may drive severe asthma. These cells, called cytotoxic CD4+ tissue-resident memory T cells, gather in the lungs and appear to possess the molecular weaponry to cause the most harm in men who developed asthma later in life.
Cancer drug restores immune system’s ability to fight tumors
A new, bio-inspired drug restores the effectiveness of immune cells in fighting cancer, a team led by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has found. In mouse models of melanoma, bladder cancer, leukemia and colon cancer, the drug slows the growth of tumors, extends lifespan and boosts the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Joint IAFNS-USDA Webinar Series Tackles Gut Health, Immune Function
Collaborative webinars to focus on key scientific trends and findings related to gut microbiome and nutrition, and the interaction of diet, stress and immune function.
Long COVID patients show distinct immune, hormone responses to virus
People suffering from long COVID symptoms show different immune and hormonal responses to the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a new study led by researchers at Yale School of Medicine. An estimated 7.5% of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2…
Researchers find potential way to tweak immune system to help it fight tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is old—ancient even. The infectious bacterial disease that plagued Old Testament Israelites and took down pharaohs was eventually stunted by vaccinations, antibiotics, and public health measures like isolation, but it hasn’t been cured yet. More than a million people around the world still die from TB every year.
New SARS-CoV-2 variant Eris on the rise
As a result of vaccination or infection, our immune system produces antibodies that attach to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, preventing the virus from entering and replicating within cells.
LJI scientists harness ‘helper’ T cells to treat tumors
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) scientists have published a pair of studies that show how we might harness CD4+ T cells while boosting the cancer-fighting power of CD8+ “killer” T cells.
New LJI research has major implications for controlling T cell activity
According to new research in the journal Immunity, T cells have a nuclear receptor doing something very odd—but very important—to help them fight pathogens and destroy cancer cells.
Dr. Jaime Avila shares back-to-school tips that parents should know.
Jaime Avila, MD, at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center, answers common patient questions and reacts to the latest medical research What can parents do to help ease back-to-school anxiety? (SOT@ :14, TRT :51) Some kids may not…
A new look inside Ebola’s “viral factories”
The study, led by scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), reveals the inner workings of viral factories, clusters of viral proteins and genomes that form in host cells.
Mimicking the body’s own defenses to destroy enveloped viruses
Viruses often mutate or hide themselves within cells. But by mimicking the way the immune system naturally deals with invaders, researchers reporting in ACS Infectious Diseases have developed a “peptoid” antiviral therapy that effectively inactivates three viruses in lab tests.
Alternative cellular ‘fuels’ boost immunity
A metabolic by-product that is more prevalent during fasting may supercharge immune cells as they fight infection and disease, reports an early stage study by Van Andel Institute scientists and collaborators.
New algorithm may fuel vaccine development
Immune system researchers have designed a computational tool to boost pandemic preparedness. Scientists can use this new algorithm to compare data from vastly different experiments and better predict how individuals may respond to disease.
Immune system changes behavior to promote allergen avoidance
The immune system plays a key role in changing our behaviors in response to environmental dangers, a new Yale School of Medicine study finds. Researchers found ova-allergic mice lost their avoidance behavior to the egg protein when Immunoglobulin E antibodies,…
Researchers Find an Immune System ‘Trip Wire’ That Detects COVID-19
Biologists have identified a previously unknown way that our immune system detects viruses. The immune protein CARD8 acts as a trip wire to detect a range of viruses, including the virus that causes COVID. They also found that CARD8 functions differently among species and varies between humans.
‘Tipping The Balance’ Of Immune Cells from Bad to Good Reverses Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms in Mice
According to the federal government’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, nearly 3 million people worldwide — with almost a third in the United States — are living with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disabling neurological disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks nerves feeding information to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). Although rarely fatal, MS can lead to long-term disabilities, and impair movement, muscle control, vision and cognition.
Immune system discovery could benefit spinal cord injuries
New research suggests that the immune system’s ability to respond to spinal cord injuries diminishes with age – and identifies potential avenues to improve that response and help patients heal.
Saturated fatty acids promote immune escape of oral cancers
A team from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center and School of Dentistry, led by Yu Leo Lei, D.D.S., Ph.D., have identified a mechanism in mice for how obesity affects some oral cancers’ ability to escape from the immune system.
One step closer to eliminating latency, the real challenge in combating HIV
An international study led by MELIS-UPF researchers from the Infection Biology and Molecular Virology laboratories has identified and characterized Schlafen 12 (SLFN 12) as a novel HIV restriction factor.