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Comparison of immune response to 1918 and H5N1 influeza viruses shows similarities
March 01, 2007A comparison of the 1918 Spanish influenza and the H5N1 avian influenza viruses suggests that while the two viruses appear to trigger a similar abnormal immune response in animal models, there are distinct differences. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle report their findings today at the ASM Biodefense and Emerging Disease Research Meeting.
"The influenza pandemic of 1918-19 was responsible for at least 40 million deaths worldwide. Recent experiments in mouse and nonhuman primates have suggested a central role of the host immune response in 1918 and H5N1 disease severity," says John Kash, a lead researcher on the study.
Kash and his colleagues have previously published research on how the immune system responds to infection with the 1918 virus in mouse and nonhuman primate lungs, using bioinformatic tools to see what genes within the immune system are expressed in response to infection. They discovered that the virus caused an almost immediate and overwhelming immune system response that basically turned the immune systems of its victims against them.
In the current study, Kash and colleagues examined the gene expression in response to H5N1 avain influenza virus in mouse lungs and compared the immune response to the previously collected data on the 1918 influenza virus.
"It looks like both these viruses elicit some sort of overblown inflammatory response. While at a fundamental level they look very similar to each other, there are subtle distinctions," says Kash.
In studying these commonalities and differences, Kash hopes to better understand how the viruses cause disease and hopefully develop new treatments. Eventually scientists may be able to develop drugs that could turn down or even switch off the unwanted activity while still allowing the immune system to combat the infection.
"What we are trying to do is understand the similarities and differences and what they mean. If we can understand those common mechanisms, we can better develop new treatments for the disease," says Kash.
American Society for Microbiology
In the current study, Kash and colleagues examined the gene expression in response to H5N1 avain influenza virus in mouse lungs and compared the immune response to the previously collected data on the 1918 influenza virus.
"It looks like both these viruses elicit some sort of overblown inflammatory response. While at a fundamental level they look very similar to each other, there are subtle distinctions," says Kash.
In studying these commonalities and differences, Kash hopes to better understand how the viruses cause disease and hopefully develop new treatments. Eventually scientists may be able to develop drugs that could turn down or even switch off the unwanted activity while still allowing the immune system to combat the infection.
"What we are trying to do is understand the similarities and differences and what they mean. If we can understand those common mechanisms, we can better develop new treatments for the disease," says Kash.
American Society for Microbiology
Immune Responses Current Events and Immune Responses News RSSAntibiotics Can Cause Pervasive, Persistent Changes to the Microbial Community in the Human Gut, MBL and Stanford Scientists Report
Using a novel technique developed by Mitchell Sogin of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) to identify different types of bacteria, scientists have completed the most precise survey to date of how microbial communities in the human gut respond to antibiotic treatment.
Results of landmark study of HIV vaccine published in the Lancet
Results from the Step study, a test-of-concept efficacy study of a Merck & Co., Inc. HIV vaccine candidate, were published online today in two papers in The Lancet. These analyses of the Step study are being conducted, presented and published to inform the continued search for an effective HIV vaccine.
T cell-based HIV vaccine candidate demonstrates positive results
The question of whether or not to continue to pursue the development of T-cell-based HIV-1 vaccines has been a source of controversy following last year's widely publicized failure of the field's most promising candidate, a vaccine developed by Merck known as V520.
Penn Scientists Show How Body Determines Optimal Amount of Germ-Fighting B Cells
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine can now explain how the body determines whether there are enough mature B-cells in the blood stream at any one time. These are the cells that produce antibodies against germs to fight infections.
New intranasal influenza vaccine triggers robust immunity with significantly less antigen
A single administration of a novel, nasally delivered influenza vaccine elicited immune responses in ferrets that were more than 20 times higher than those generated by two injections of the currently approved vaccines, according to a study by NanoBio Corporation.
Biomarkers for identifying infant infections
Infection is the leading cause of infant deaths worldwide, and particularly a common killer of weaker, pre-term infants. Current diagnostic tests can be slow and non-specific, but researchers have now identified potential biomarkers in the blood that can rapidly identify both the onset of infection and type of microbe.
Hodgkin lymphoma -- new characteristics discovered
Researchers are still discovering new characteristics of Hodgkin lymphoma, a common form of cancer of the lymphatic system. The malignant cells are derived from white blood cells (B cells), but have lost a considerable part of the B cell-specific gene expression pattern.
RNA molecules, delivery system improve vaccine responses, effectiveness
A novel delivery system that could lead to more efficient and more disease-specific vaccines against infectious diseases has been developed by biomedical engineers at The University of Texas at Austin.
Form of Crohn's disease traced to disabled gut cells
Scientists report online this week in Nature that they have linked the health of specialized gut immune cells to a gene associated with Crohn's disease, an often debilitating and increasingly prevalent inflammatory bowel disorder.
Probiotic bacteria can induce monocyte-derived dendritic cells maturation?
Probiotic bacteria are widely used to relieve the symptoms of many disorders such as inflammatory bowel syndrome, diarrhea, and allergies. Probiotic mixtures have also been found to reduce the symptoms of diarrhea.
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