Articles tagged with Immunology
Prof. Yehu Moran's election to EMBO recognizes his groundbreaking research on the evolution of biological defense systems, advancing our understanding of life and exemplifying the university's scientific excellence.
A new study reveals that excessive fibrin deposition drives chronic inflammation in diabetic periodontitis. A targeted peptide successfully stops this inflammation and promotes periodontal bone regeneration, offering a potential universal therapeutic strategy for various immune-mediated diabetic comorbidities.
Researchers engineered HER2-specific CAR-T cells to simultaneously silence TIM-3 expression, demonstrating improved anti-tumor responses and significantly elevated lytic cytotoxicity. In vivo evaluations showed delayed tumor growth and minimized tumor burden with this strategy.
A new study discovered a previously unknown antiviral defense mechanism in sea anemones, revealing that animals may have evolved more than one way to fight viral infections. The findings suggest that fundamentally different antiviral strategies have emerged across the animal kingdom.
A phase III trial is investigating whether an immune-boosting drug can help keep early-stage lung cancer from coming back after surgery. Researchers aim to enroll 336 participants with stage I non-small cell lung cancer and determine if the treatment reduces recurrence.
A recent study found that people with active TB have a specific inflammatory response in their airways, dominated by neutrophils that can lead to disease progression. In contrast, those who control the infection have a different immune cell balance, suggesting a way to predict and prevent TB through early intervention.
A comprehensive map of human STING reveals how different regions regulate immune signaling and how small genetic changes can alter its behavior. The study identifies both known and previously unknown regulatory sites, providing new insight into how immune signaling is regulated.
A study reveals that a cellular interaction between immune cells and fibroblasts drives the progression of Sjögren's disease by promoting chronic inflammation. The CD153+ CD4+ T cell-CD30+ fibroblast axis is identified as a key trigger, and targeting this axis may provide new therapeutic opportunities.
A review published in Diabetes Care suggests that physical exercise could play a role in promoting immune regulation, preserving beta-cell function, and reducing inflammation in type 1 diabetes. The evidence highlights the potential benefits of exercise on immune profiles displaying anti-inflammatory characteristics.
Scientists discovered a direct link between estrogen and gut inflammation in Crohn's disease. The study used zebrafish models to show that estrogen signalling plays a crucial role in maintaining normal gut health. This finding could lead to more personalized approaches to treatment, especially for females affected by the disease.
Scientists have identified a unique chimeric RNA called UBA1-CDK16 that plays important roles in women's blood cell development and disease severity. The findings suggest the chimeric RNA may serve as a natural brake to protect women from excessive autoimmune activity.
Researchers developed engineered CAR-T cells that specifically degrade soluble TNF, preventing and treating all stages of RA in human TNF-transgenic mice. A single infusion provided sustained benefit without redosing or ADA risk, offering a promising alternative to chronic disease management.
Researchers at UC Riverside link immune signaling to disrupted brain function and cognition after concussion, finding a crucial link between TLR4 and MMP-9. Blocking these pathways may limit changes in brain circuits and improve long-term neurological outcomes.
Researchers create a hydrogel-based oral formulation that coats the esophageal lining and releases antibodies like infliximab to treat inflammatory conditions. The formulation reduces side effects by temporarily loosening cell-cell junctions, allowing larger molecules to pass through.
Researchers found a strong association between gut microbiome composition and bone health in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Bifidobacterium longum was identified as a key microbial driver of bone loss through immune-mediated mechanisms.
A deadly hantavirus cluster on a cruise ship has sparked global alarm, but new research highlights the overlooked risk of agricultural and wildlife farming environments. The study calls for a One Health approach to protect agricultural workers worldwide from this preventable occupational risk.
The University of Oklahoma is establishing the Oklahoma Center of ImmunoEngineering with an $11.5 million NIH award. The center will integrate wet lab science and data science to accelerate disease research. Four early-career faculty members are selected as research project leaders, and the center offers training workshops, seminars an...
Extracellular vesicle-encapsulated microRNAs (EV-miRNAs) form a precise communication network for organ crosstalk, mediating immune regulation and disease outcomes. EV-miRNAs display organ tropism, influencing tumor growth, anti-tumor immunity, and inflammation.
Johanna Joyce, a leading tumor immunologist, has begun her two-year term as President of the European Association for Cancer Research. She will focus on strategic oversight, promoting broad scientific collaboration, dialogue, and training, while addressing issues such as gender disparities in science.
Researchers from Kyushu University discovered that the circadian clock protein BMAL1 drives macrophages towards a pro-inflammatory M1 state by activating inflammatory signaling pathways. This mechanism links the body clock to intracellular metabolism and immune function, offering new insights into treating inflammatory diseases.
The PediQEESI is a new pediatric adaptation of the QEESI questionnaire to assess chemical intolerance in children. It can help identify patterns among symptoms, exposures, and daily functioning, enabling parents and clinicians to avoid future exposure and trigger symptoms.
Researchers identified five immunomodulatory proteins in Borrelia recurrentis that prevent activation of the human complement system, allowing the pathogen to survive in the human body. These Chi proteins also convert plasminogen into active plasmin, giving Borrelia recurrentis a significant advantage in spreading after infection.
Researchers at IGTP identify N-glycosylation as essential for preserving immunomodulatory function of extracellular vesicles. The study found that intact N-glycosylation can reduce monocyte recruitment to inflamed endothelium, contributing to a better understanding of these vesicles' therapeutic potential.
A new review highlights that vitamin D deficiency is common and clinically important in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, but the current evidence does not support a direct disease-modifying effect. Vitamin D supplementation shows modest benefits in some patients, particularly those with low baseline vitamin D levels.
LRBA deficiency, a rare inherited condition, impairs kidney function by disrupting water and sodium balance, leading to polyuria and electrolyte abnormalities. Treatment with desmopressin may help manage excessive urination in some patients.
TIGIT is a second-generation immune checkpoint that exerts immunosuppressive effects through multiple pathways, promoting a hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Combination with PD-1 inhibitors has shown remarkable promise, improving objective remission rates and progression-free survival.
Scientists discovered a new way cells fight infection, using a method called antibody-directed xenophagy (ADX), which can digest bacteria and viruses inside infected cells. ADX is triggered by a protein called TRIM21, which flags invading pathogens for destruction.
Researchers at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center have made significant advances in understanding cancer biology, developing AI-powered atlas of tertiary lymphoid structures as prognostic biomarkers, and uncovering drivers of resistance to KRAS inhibitors. Additionally, they have discovered a molecular pathway that drives stressed cells to b...
Researchers found that obexelimab significantly reduces the risk of relapse in patients with IgG4-related disease, a rare chronic immune condition. The study showed that patients treated with obexelimab were nearly twice as likely to be in complete remission after one year and needed less emergency steroid treatment.
Fluconazole-resistant Candida auris benefits from zinc deficiency, exhibiting increased pathogenicity and resistance to macrophage-mediated killing. Suppression of ZCF4 enables the fungus to impede phagocytic clearance via suppression of MMP-9 activity.
Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology have discovered that 'cross-reactive' T cells can recognize multiple species of paramyxovirus, including measles and Nipah viruses. This broad protection is essential in combating emerging diseases with unknown viral strains.
The study provides a detailed, cross-species view of how tumor-associated dendritic cells are organized and altered in cancer. It identified over 30 distinct dendritic cell subsets and functional states within tumors, with many populations conserved between mice and humans.
Researchers decode signaling pathway of atypical chemokine receptor ACKR4, revealing its role in internalizing and degrading unnecessary chemokines. This mechanism helps guide immune cells and regulate inflammation, with potential implications for cancer treatment.
The study demonstrated a response to treatment in several tumor types, including lung cancer and head and neck cancers. A significant tumor shrinkage was observed in four out of 14 patients treated within the optimal dose range.
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin found that cells with latent TB remain metabolically flexible, allowing strong antibacterial responses. In contrast, cells from people with active TB disease show impaired metabolism and weaker responses to infection.
The Phase 3 SUNRISE trial shows that tezepelumab nearly triples the likelihood of reducing daily oral corticosteroid dose in patients with severe, oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma. Patients treated with tezepelumab achieve greater reductions in oral steroid use while maintaining asthma control and improving key clinical outcomes.
Activated memory B cells can recognize and target ovarian cancer cells, producing effective antibodies. The discovery advances the development of vaccines and therapies based on immune memory against cancer.
Researchers reveal the intricate structure of the Themis-Grb2 complex, a crucial signaling hub in the immune system. The discovery provides important insights into T cell development and may support new approaches for treating immune-related diseases.
Research reveals Neandertal ancestry affects immune system to multiple DNA viruses, including Epstein-Barr virus and human herpesvirus 7. Archaic DNA variants were disproportionately associated with higher viral loads in modern humans.
Researchers have discovered that inflammation plays a dual role in atherosclerosis, both driving the disease's progression and limiting it. Macrophages, often seen as solely harmful, also clear cellular debris and attack endothelial cells, while microRNA miR-147 helps regulate this balance.
A study reveals that TREM2+ macrophages directly recognize candidalysin, a toxin secreted by Candida albicans, to initiate an immune response. This recognition leads to the activation of key immune cells and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, ultimately protecting against fungal infection.
Researchers developed a microneedle patch loaded with mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes that accelerate oral ulcer healing by remodeling macrophage-epithelial crosstalk. The patch promotes anti-inflammatory phenotypes and suppresses NF-κB signaling, reducing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration.
Researchers at CNIC identify mitochondrial complex I as a key checkpoint for dendritic cell activation. Restoring its function restores immune responses against viruses and tumors. The study paves the way for new strategies in vaccines and cancer immunotherapies.
Researchers at Hiroshima University identified a critical boundary in the immune-regulating RELA gene that helps predict how harmful mutations cause disease. This finding could improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with autosomal dominant RELA deficiency, a rare inherited inflammatory disease.
Researchers discovered a new gene expression signature linked to prolonged overall survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who responded to combined immune checkpoint inhibitors. The biomarker has the potential to help identify patients most likely to benefit from this treatment combination.
Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology have discovered that combining key vaccine ingredients could give the body the tools it needs to fight the entire family of arenaviruses with a single vaccine. This approach may protect against life-threatening infections from Lassa virus, Junin virus, and many other arenaviruses.
Researchers have developed engineered peptide binders called CRABs that can selectively interfere with calcium signaling pathways, potentially leading to more effective and safer immunotherapies. The study's findings offer new hope for treating disorders linked to excessive CRAC-channel activity.
The Endocrine Society and Keystone Symposia will host their first joint conference in October to explore discovery in cancer, diabetes, and cardiometabolic disease. The conference series aims to strengthen the exchange of scientific knowledge through coordinated programming, facilitating discovery and collaboration among researchers.
A new mRNA-based strategy amplifies the T-cell response to vaccines, enabling more powerful cancer vaccines and stronger protection against infectious diseases. The approach reprograms immune cells from within using mRNA instructions that expand cancer-fighting T cells.
A study published in Nature Metabolism has found a crucial link between mitochondrial lipid deficiency and gut inflammation, revealing that cardiolipin plays a key role in maintaining immune homeostasis. The research suggests that targeting the metabolism of immune cells could be a new approach to treating inflammatory bowel diseases.
A Spanish clinical trial demonstrates the potential of mesenchymal stem cells to reduce inflammation in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa (RDEB) patients, also known as 'butterfly skin'. The treatment showed improved symptoms like pruritus, sleep disturbances, and fatigue after receiving infusions.
Researchers discovered that stem cells can mature into potent antimicrobial cells when infected with bacteria, sacrificing their own lifespan to prevent prolonged infection and promote tissue repair. This newfound mechanism may hold potential for understanding inflammatory diseases like Crohn's disease.
Researchers identified a defense mechanism in intestinal stem cells that actively responds to Salmonella infection, differentiating into antimicrobial Paneth cells to limit bacterial persistence. The study suggests that stem cell differentiation is part of an intrinsic protective program preserving intestinal function during infection.
The Applied Immunological Research Symposium (AIRS) brought together renowned scientists to share groundbreaking findings on T cell exhaustion and its connection to vaccine interception. Keynote speaker Rafi Ahmed presented data showing how blocking PD-1 reawakens a core population of 'stem-like' T cells, unleashing them to fight disease.
Researchers found a protein called RAB5c that helps white blood cells kill Aspergillus fumigatus, a common airborne fungus. Without this protein, immune cells are disarmed despite attacking at full force. The discovery could lead to new treatments for patients with weakened immune systems.