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New biomarker to prevent graft-versus-host disease in stem cell transplants discovered

MUSC researchers have identified a new biomarker that may predict which patients are at risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. High levels of plasmacytoid dendritic cells expressing ICOS ligand are associated with increased severity of GVHD and lower survival rates.

SourceMedical University of South Carolina·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateOct 7, 2020

Protecting the neuronal architecture

Heidelberg researchers demonstrate that restoring VEGFD levels can preserve dendritic arborisation and reduce brain damage after a stroke. A treatment using recombinant VEGFD and nose drops achieved similar results in mouse models.

SourceHeidelberg University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 5, 2020

Personalized cancer vaccines

Researchers at EPFL have created a prototype vaccine that can travel to the desired location and activate immune cells, overcoming two major obstacles in therapeutic cancer vaccines. The Polycondensate Neoepitope (PNE) combines a patented technique with an algorithm for predicting mutated tumor antigens.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalACS Central Science·DateFeb 11, 2020

The danger behind certain biologics

A research team discovered that dendritic cells play a crucial role in the immune system's response to disease-causing pathogens, which may explain why TNF inhibitors carry a risk of serious infections and cancer. The study suggests that programming dendritic cells could lead to better treatments for persistent infections and cancer.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalScience Advances·DateDec 12, 2019

Dendrites filtering neuron's excitement

Researchers at Kyoto University discovered that Purkinje cell dendrites can filter and modulate incoming signals, enabling new learning mechanisms in the cerebellum. This finding provides insight into the brain's ability to modify itself and change signaling properties.

Neurobiology -- sushi for synapses

A team of researchers at LMU in Munich has found that messenger RNAs are transported between the cell body and nerve processes like sushi on an endless conveyor belt, allowing them to reach specific synapses. The discovery sheds light on how proteins are delivered to synapses, a crucial process for learning and memory.

SourceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 25, 2019

How the brain enables us to rapidly focus attention

Researchers discovered a key brain mechanism that underlies our ability to rapidly focus attention. The cholinergic system plays a crucial role in triggering desynchronization of neurons, allowing individual neurons to respond to sensory information differently. This allows us to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring distractions.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalNeuron·DateDec 26, 2018

A code for reprogramming immune sentinels

A research team at Lund University successfully reprograms mouse and human skin cells into immune cells called dendritic cells. This breakthrough enables the development of novel dendritic cell-based immunotherapies against cancer. The process is quick, effective, and opens up possibilities for patient-specific treatment.

SourceLund University·JournalScience Immunology·DateDec 7, 2018

New insights into pruning

Researchers at the University of Münster have discovered a correlation between the spatial organization of a nerve cell and its process degeneration. The study found that specific arrangement of cytoskeleton components influences the direction of dendrite degeneration in fruit flies.

SourceUniversity of Münster·JournalDevelopment·DateJun 26, 2018

Monocytes have many faces

An international research team has discovered that monocyte-derived cells are a diverse mixture, differing from dendritic cells. This diversity affects the immune system's response to tumor cells, impacting cancer immunotherapy success rates.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalImmunity·DateDec 19, 2017

Study provides insights on immune cells involved in kidney disease

Researchers have discovered that macrophages form a barrier around kidneys and that dendritic cells communicate with each other to control the magnitude of the immune response. This complex mechanism challenges previous ideas about how the kidney reacts to injury, and may lead to new strategies for protecting individuals' kidney health.

SourceAmerican Society of Nephrology·JournalJournal of the American Society of Nephrology·DateDec 7, 2017

U of I-led team reports connections that will fuel future brain trauma research

A University of Idaho-led team found a way to stimulate the formation of new neural connections in the adult brain, which could help humans fend off memory loss and brain trauma. The study used genetic manipulation in mice to induce axon and dendrite outgrowth, leading to the formation of stable, functional connections.

SourceUniversity of Idaho·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 7, 2017

Virus hijacks cell's transportation system

A deadly tick-borne virus uses the host neuron's transportation system to move its RNA, resulting in local reproduction of the virus and severe neurological symptoms. The unique virus-host interaction reveals a pivotal non-coding sequence that hijacks the neuronal granule system.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 1, 2017