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Infection-fighting B cells go with the flow

B cells use a unique migration strategy in the bone marrow that allows them to exit slowly and be passively swept out by blood flow. The researchers found that the absence of CXCR4 significantly slows down B cell movement, highlighting the importance of this protein in regulating immune cell egress.

SourceRockefeller University Press·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateNov 17, 2014

Protecting the body from itself

Researchers have established a crucial relationship between Natural Killer T (NKT) cells and B cells in the body's natural defense mechanisms. The study found that altered lipid compositions on autoimmune B cells lead to over-activation of NKT cells, causing their depletion. Removing a specific lipid-presenting molecule from B cells re...

SourceBiomedical Sciences Institutes (BMSI)·JournalCell Reports·DateSep 25, 2014

Newly identified B-cell selection process adds to understanding of antibody diversity

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have identified a new B-cell selection process that influences antibody survival independent of antigen-binding regions. This discovery adds a surprising dimension to the understanding of antibody repertoires and may help shape them to better fight disease.

SourceBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 9, 2014

B-cells aggravate autoimmune diseases

Scientists have discovered that B-lymphocytes lack the protein PTP1B, making them hyperactive and promoting an autoimmune attack. This study provides a new mechanism for how B-cells regulate an immune response, potentially playing a significant role in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine·DateMar 5, 2014

JCI early table of contents for Feb. 10, 2014

In this study, researchers identified a unique regulatory T cell population in human skin that plays a crucial role in dampening the immune response against self-antigens. However, in inflamed skin, such as in psoriasis, this population is dysfunctional and fails to suppress autoimmunity.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateFeb 10, 2014

JCI early table of contents for Nov. 1, 2013

Researchers found that liver Kupffer cells are essential for deleting B cells using anti-CD20 therapy. The interaction between the liver and the immune system also affects the progression of candidiasis, a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateNov 1, 2013

Lampreys provide hints to ancient immune cells

Researchers have identified a type of white blood cell in lampreys that resembles gamma delta T cells found in mammals and birds. The discovery suggests that distinct cells with similar functions may have existed in the last common vertebrate ancestor, providing insights into the evolutionary past.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalNature·DateAug 12, 2013

Novel drug shuts down master protein key to lymphoma

Researchers have discovered how an experimental drug can completely eradicate human lymphoma in mice after just five doses by gumming up the powerful master regulatory transcription factor Bcl6. The study provides a promising new strategy to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

SourceWeill Cornell Medicine·JournalCell Reports·DateAug 1, 2013

Between B cells and T cells

Researchers discovered that the transcription factor EBF1 is crucial for maintaining B cell identity and preventing alternative fates. When EBF1 was switched off, transplanted B cells forgot their previous identity and developed into T cells and natural killer cells.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature Immunology·DateJul 23, 2013

BUSM study reveals therapeutic targets to alter inflammation, type 2 diabetes

A study from Boston University School of Medicine reveals that B cells secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines promoting insulin resistance and directly regulating inflammatory T cells. This discovery supports the exploration of FDA-approved B cell depletion drugs as novel agents to prevent obesity-associated inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 12, 2013

Scientists find bone-marrow environment that helps produce infection-fighting T and B cells

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered an osteoblastic niche in the bone marrow that nurtures early lymphoid progenitors, specialized blood-forming cells responsible for producing T cells and B cells. This finding may lead to improved safety and effectiveness of bone-marrow transplants and treatments for illnesse...

Cells predict onset of graft-versus-host disease in men receiving BMTs from female donors

Researchers discovered a specific B lymphocyte marker that indicates the onset of cGVHD, a devastating syndrome where the patient's tissues are attacked by transplanted immune cells. This easily measured marker could help guide new therapies to mitigate or prevent cGVHD, which affects half of all bone marrow transplant procedures.

SourceStanford Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 4, 2013

Immune system molecule with hidden talents

Researchers at Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research discovered that antibodies are essential for dendritic cell maturation, a process critical to the immune response against pathogens. The study highlights the complex interplay between innate and acquired immunity, showing how antibodies facilitate communication between immune cells.

SourceHelmholtz Centre for Infection Research·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 22, 2013

New way to kill lymphoma without chemotherapy

Researchers at Northwestern University discovered a new nanoparticle that kills B-cell lymphoma cells by depriving them of natural HDL cholesterol. The nanoparticle, which mimics the size and shape of HDL particles, blocks cholesterol from entering cancer cells, leading to cell death.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 21, 2013

Multiple sclerosis 'immune exchange' between brain and blood is uncovered

Researchers at UCSF discover an 'immune exchange' between the brain and blood that allows disease-causing B cells to move in and out of the brain, providing a potential key to unlocking better treatments and diagnostics. The study suggests that targeting specific B cells could lead to precision therapies tailored to each patient's needs.

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateNov 19, 2012

How infection can trigger autoimmune disease

Scientists confirm that an infection can trigger an autoimmune disease by identifying the exact conditions for an autoantibody response to occur. The research reveals a unique problem with the immune system's ability to distinguish between self and non-self, leading to autoimmunity in certain cases.

SourceResearch Australia·JournalImmunity·DateNov 9, 2012