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Some cases of long COVID-19 may be caused by an abnormally suppressed immune system, UCLA-led research suggests

A UCLA-led team found that an abnormally suppressed immune system, not a persistently hyperactive one, may be to blame for some cases of long COVID-19. The study suggests boosting immunity in those individuals could be a treatment option.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalClinical Infectious Diseases·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateApr 22, 2022

Study: Black kidney transplant patients exhibit faster clearance rates of key immunosuppressive medicine tacrolimus

A new study found that Black kidney transplant recipients exhibit a faster clearance rate of tacrolimus, an immunosuppressive drug. The study suggests that considering both sex and race when dosing tacrolimus may reduce adverse effects and enhance transplant outcomes.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalPharmacotherapy The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy·DateApr 18, 2022

Mini-livers on a chip

Researchers at Gladstone Institutes create mini-livers on a chip to study the immune system's response to hepatitis C infection. The platform enables precise control over cellular interactions, allowing for detailed insights into how the liver interacts with the virus and T cells.

SourceGladstone Institutes·JournalOpen Biology·DateApr 6, 2022

Scientific consortium established by national institutes of health provides real-time risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 variants on immune protection

The SAVE program, a NIH initiative, provides real-time risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 variants on immune protection. It uses a coordinated approach to identify and curate data about these variants, their impact on immunity, and their effects on vaccine protection.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNature·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateMar 31, 2022

Prior COVID-19 infection linked to robust, accelerated immune response after first vaccine dose, researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University report

Researchers at Temple University found that individuals with prior COVID-19 infection experienced rapid antibody production after the first vaccine dose, but showed little increase after the second dose. This contrasts with those without a history of infection, who exhibited massive responses after the second dose.

SourceTemple University Health System·JournalJCI Insight·DateMar 29, 2022

Tuberculosis infection protects mice from developing COVID-19

Researchers discovered that mice infected with tuberculosis are resistant to developing COVID-19, suggesting a potential protective effect against the virus. The findings may explain why double infections of both diseases are rare in humans and contribute to the high rates of infection for each disease individually.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Pathogens·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 24, 2022

Treating TB: uOttawa scientists collaborate to identify new drug for unique therapeutic approach

Researchers develop novel therapeutic approach for treating tuberculosis using phosphatase inhibitors, offering potential benefits for TB research and basic biology exploration. The discovery provides a promising alternative to traditional antibiotic-based treatments and has significant implications for combating antimicrobial resistance.

SourceUniversity of Ottawa·JournalCell Chemical Biology·TypeContent analysis·DateMar 22, 2022

Huddersfield scientists first to show how coronavirus triggers immune response in brain

Researchers at the University of Huddersfield have identified a key mechanism by which the coronavirus causes inflammation in the brain's immune cells, potentially explaining some symptoms experienced by COVID-19 patients. The study suggests that adequate funding is needed to further develop this research and its potential applications.

SourceUniversity of Huddersfield·JournalMolecular Neurobiology·TypeObservational study·DateMar 17, 2022

COVID vaccination is also recommended for people with cancer

A comprehensive review of over 60 studies confirms that COVID vaccination is around 80% effective in protecting people with cancer against SARS-CoV-2 infection. The mRNA vaccines were found to be the most effective, and multiple vaccinations are recommended for better protection.

SourceLeibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans Knöll Institute -·JournalNature Reviews Clinical Oncology·TypeLiterature review·DateMar 14, 2022

How to make the TB vaccine more effective

Researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute have found that adding an antibody to the widely-used TB vaccine significantly improves its long-term effectiveness. The combination of the vaccine and an IL-10 blocker allows for better control of TB infection in mice, with improved lung health and increased memory immune cells.

SourceTexas Biomedical Research Institute·JournalThe Journal of Immunology·DateMar 11, 2022

Data published in a Lancet journal on COH04S1, a City of Hope-developed COVID-19 vaccine, shows it produced robust antibodies and T cells against SARS-CoV-2

The investigational vaccine targets both the spike and nucleocapsid proteins, producing neutralizing antibodies and inducing T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2. COH04S1 is being studied in Phase 2 trials for immunocompromised patients and as a booster for healthy adult volunteers.

SourceCity of Hope·JournalThe Lancet Microbe·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 10, 2022

Moffitt study finds cancer patients do benefit from COVID-19 vaccination

A Moffitt study found that COVID-19 vaccination led to seroconversion in most cancer patients, but with differing antibody response rates among various cancer types and treatments. Patients with blood cancers had lower seroconversion rates compared to those with solid tumors, highlighting the need for personalized immune responses.

SourceH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute·JournalJAMA Oncology·TypeObservational study·DateMar 10, 2022

Milk may exacerbate MS symptoms

A new study by University of Bonn researchers found that cow's milk protein casein triggers an autoimmune response in mice, damaging neurons and myelin sheath. This cross-reactivity can occur when the immune system mistakes similar molecules for each other.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 1, 2022

The body fights infection amidst 'waves' of regulatory CD4+ T cells

A new study from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology reveals that two groups of regulatory CD4+ T cells develop at different times to combat acute inflammation. The early Tregs reduce autoimmune damage, while the second wave shuts down the entire immune response to signal infection clearance.

SourceLa Jolla Institute for Immunology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 21, 2022

SARS-CoV-2 protein targeted by immune cells also triggers response in bat Coronaviruses

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine discovered a peptide on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that triggers an immune response in humans and is also recognized by cells of the immune system, suggesting potential for protection against future zoonotic outbreaks. The study supports the development of multivalent vaccines against a broad spe...

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 16, 2022

Living in a microbial world: The healthy oral microbiome contributes to jaw bone health by influencing immune cell interactions with bone cells

A recent study found that a subset of immune cells within the alveolar bone marrow were activated by the presence of commensal oral microbes, leading to increased osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and bone loss. Reducing the burden of commensal microbes through oral antiseptic rinses can help protect against alveolar bone loss.

SourceMedical University of South Carolina·JournalJCI Insight·DateFeb 16, 2022

New detailed immune-profiling method uses only DNA from blood

A novel immune-profiling method can return detailed immune cell type proportions using only DNA from blood, potentially allowing for individualized prediction of outcomes in immunotherapy patients. This approach offers the opportunity to ask and answer questions about the immune system in health and disease.

SourceDartmouth Health·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 9, 2022

Meat, MS and the microbiome

A study by UConn Health and Washington University School of Medicine found that eating more meat correlates with worse MS symptoms, altered gut bacteria, and increased immune cells. The research identified key bacteria and metabolites associated with the disease, providing new insights into its causes.

SourceUniversity of Connecticut·JournalEBioMedicine·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 27, 2022

Unveiled the epigenetic mechanism by which vitamin D modulates the tolerance of the immune system

Researchers at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute and the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital discovered that vitamin D activates the tolerance program of dendritic cells through epigenetic modification. This finding offers new hope for treating autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis by optimizing tolerogenic dendritic cells.

SourceJosep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute·JournalCell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 19, 2022