All articles tagged: Immunology

A research team behind a new study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has made an important breakthrough in understanding how immune cells known as T cells are activated.

The intestine maintains a delicate balance in the body, absorbing nutrients and water while maintaining a healthy relationship with the gut microbiome, but this equilibrium is disrupted in parts of the intestine in conditions such as celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease. Scientists don't fully understand how different regions of the organ resist or adapt to changes in the enviro

By creating the first spatial atlas of the developing human thymus, a vital organ that trains immune cells to protect against infections and cancer, scientists have discovered that the foundation for lifelong immunity is established earlier than previously thought.

Malaria, particularly in its severe forms, remains a global health and economic burden. It causes the deaths of more than 600,000 people every year—most of them African children under five.

We all age. And while humanity's life expectancy has increased dramatically in the modern era, we still struggle with the inevitable health issues our bodies face as we get up in the years. For example, the decrease of muscle mass and function, leading to weakness and atrophy. This is a pressing concern in a super-aging society like Japan where—while people live longer—without proper muscle streng

mRNA vaccines saved lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, but older people had less of an immune response to the vaccines than did younger adults. Why? Boston Children's researchers, led by Byron Brook, Ph.D., and Ofer Levy, MD, Ph.D., have found some answers, while providing proof-of-concept of a new system that can model vaccine responses in a dish.

Two open-access reviews by a renowned neonatal immunologist have highlighted the uniqueness of the developing infant immune system and how human milk provides a personalized and real-time approach to meeting the ever-changing needs of newborns.

The ability of the bone marrow to produce healthy blood cells declines significantly with age, leading to age-related inflammation and disease. A team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Münster, Germany, has shown that the skull bone marrow is an exception to bone marrow aging and actually increases blood production throughout life. Specialized blood vessels wi

Dr. Watanabe and his team from Niigata University have revealed that PET/CT image analysis using artificial intelligence (AI) can predict the occurrence of interstitial lung disease, known as a serious side effect of immunotherapy in lung cancer. The study is published in the journal Academic Radiology.

To better understand why some cancer patients struggle to fight off infections, Georgia Tech researchers have created tiny lab-grown models of human immune systems.

In a recent study, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have provided new insights into the central role of goblet cells—specialized cells that line the gut—in maintaining a healthy and balanced immune environment within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Researchers from the National Defense Medical Center in Taiwan have identified an increased risk of psoriasis in patients with cancer undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatments, with implications for other immune-related adverse events.

A large interdisciplinary team of researchers has found that as mice age, levels of a certain type of immunoglobulin escalate, exacerbating tissue aging. In their paper published in the journal Cell, the group describes how they analyzed tissue from multiple mouse organs at different ages, looking specifically at senescence-sensitive spots, and what they learned by doing so.

A team of Rice University bioengineers has developed a mathematical model that clarifies why interleukin-12 (IL-12)—a potent immune-boosting protein that holds promise for cancer treatment—loses effectiveness over time when used as an immunotherapeutic. The research challenges long-held assumptions about IL-12's behavior in the body and offers a path toward safer and more effective dosing regimens

Recent research reveals that the immune system interacts with the body's internal clock, influencing both fat storage and temperature regulation.

Berry-flavored vapes can weaken the lungs' natural defenses, making it harder for the body to fight off infections, research suggests. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, compared effects of flavored e-cigarettes to those of unflavored ones.

From sending cancer into remission to alleviating COVID-19 symptoms, immunotherapy can provide revolutionary disease treatments. Immunotherapies use antibodies—proteins that bind to cell markers called antigens—to target and eliminate the antigen. But despite how effective immunotherapy can be, it isn't widely used because finding the right antibodies to develop treatments is challenging, time-con

The first 3D images of a whole human thymus have been created using a specialized X-ray technique by researchers from University College London (UCL) and the Francis Crick Institute. The highly-intricate images showed that structures called Hassall's bodies occupy a large fraction of thymic medulla, suggesting they might play a role in regulating thymic microenvironment and immunity.

Macrophage cells are the immune system's frontline soldiers, early on the scene to protect the body from foreign invaders. These cells answer the immune system's critical question for the rest of its troops: friend or foe?

Investigators led by Pablo Penaloza-MacMaster, Ph.D., associate professor of Microbiology-Immunology, have discovered that administering an antibody treatment four days after mRNA vaccination enhances immune responses and vaccine efficacy in mice, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

For kidney transplant recipients experiencing antibody-mediated rejection, the current standard of care involves removing donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) through plasmapheresis (PLEX)—a procedure that removes antibodies from the plasma portion of the blood.

Chronic active antibody-mediated rejection (caAMR) is a common cause of allograft loss after transplantation, with no approved therapies. Clazakizumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), stabilized kidney transplant recipients' kidney function in a Phase II trial. Investigators now have data from a Phase III trial with clazakizumab.

Anaphylaxis can come on suddenly and without warning, and because its symptoms can be fatal, it is scary for those who encounter it. Two studies presented at this year's American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston show it is not only patients and caregivers who misunderstand how best to treat anaphylaxis: emergency medical professionals often foll

A study from the University of Virginia's Department of Biomedical Engineering has identified a critical mechanism driving fibrosis, or scarring, in response to medical implants made with biomaterial hydrogels.

A study from the University of Virginia's Department of Biomedical Engineering has identified a critical mechanism driving fibrosis, or scarring, in response to medical implants made with biomaterial hydrogels.

What keeps some immune systems youthful and effective in warding off age-related diseases? In a new paper published in Cellular & Molecular Immunology, USC Stem Cell scientist Rong Lu and her collaborators point the finger at a small subset of blood stem cells, which make an outsized contribution to maintaining either a youthful balance or an age-related imbalance of the two main types of immune c

Exposure to higher levels of air pollution as a baby is linked to having a peanut allergy throughout childhood, according to a new study. And policies aimed at tackling poor air quality could potentially reduce the prevalence and persistence of peanut allergies, it stated.

The human gut is home to helpful microbes, called the microbiota, who produce molecules known as metabolites. These metabolites are being increasingly recognized for their role in supporting our health.

Scientists from the University of Sharjah think monoclonal antibodies hold the potential to be a far better treatment for asthma exacerbations than conventional therapies like steroids.

Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis) is a long-term inflammatory condition that's incredibly common. It affects about one-quarter of Australians.

A study led by Dr. Hassan Aboul-Ella (Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University) has been published in the journal Molecular Biomedicine.

Immune cells called monocytes produce a key inflammatory protein called interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) through an unconventional pathway in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly referred to as lupus, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have discovered a new process in our immune systems that leads to the production of an important family of anti-viral proteins called interferons. They hope the discovery will now lead to new, effective therapies for people with some autoimmune and infectious diseases.

A study led by researchers from RMIT University and the Doherty Institute has provided the first detailed analysis of how mRNA vaccines circulate and break down in the human bloodstream. The research aimed to help improve the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines, including reducing the side effects that people commonly experience such as headaches, fever and fatigue.

For the first time, researchers have created a single cell atlas of prenatal human skin to understand how skin forms, and what goes wrong in disease.

Scientists at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Shanghai Institute of Immunology (SII), along with their international collaborators, have dissected the key signaling mechanism driving inflammation in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), through which they have also uncovered a promising new protein target to combat the fatty liver disease.

The ability to therapeutically manipulate the immune system presents a multitude of potential opportunities for treating infectious diseases, cancer and other diseases, but first, researchers must fully understand the processes that shape immunity.

Five years ago, at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, a phenomenon became abundantly clear: Preschool-age children rarely developed severe cases of COVID-19.

Targeting the immune system could prevent or treat periodontal disease (PD), a common but serious disease of the gums, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh.

In a new study, University of Georgia researchers have found that natural immunity from previous flu infections has a significant impact on how well future influenza vaccinations work.

Currently, kidney transplantation is the most effective treatment to ensure survival and improve the quality of life of patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease, and it is widely practiced in health care systems. However, the monitoring of transplant patients and markers of tolerance to the transplanted organ remain limited.

In a study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Sleep, Circadian and Neuroscience research have explored the effects of circadian rhythm disruption on the lungs. They have found that nearly every cell in the body is keeping track of time.

A pair of studies examining immune response in C. elegans reveal broad implications for understanding pathogen detection in higher animals and the evolutionary origins of immunity itself.

Infants who were exclusively fed breast milk during their hospitalization at birth were 22% less likely to develop asthma in early childhood, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition in Orlando.

The formation of pores by a particular protein, gasdermin D, plays a key role in inflammatory reactions. During its activation, an inhibitory part is split off. More than 30 of the remaining protein fragments then combine to form large pores in the cell membrane, which allow the release of inflammatory messengers.

Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered a new bacterium that weakens the immune system in the gut, potentially contributing to certain inflammatory and infectious gut diseases.

Research at UMC Utrecht has identified 29 novel antibodies against the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, an important cause of drug-resistant infections. Using genetic and functional approaches, the researchers also managed to unravel how these antibodies interact with antigens on the bacterial surface. Finally, they found that some of these novel antibodies act synergistically to neutralize this p

The eye is an immune-privileged tissue because of the need to keep blood vessels away from the central pathway of light and to restrict entry of inflammatory cells that could cause damage. This has prompted questions about how the eye manages inflammation when it occurs.

A new study led by King's College London, Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh, has characterized the similarities and differences between immune cell profiles in children with different infections and inflammatory diseases.

Fever temperatures rev up immune cell metabolism, proliferation and activity, but they also—in a particular subset of T cells—cause mitochondrial stress, DNA damage and cell death, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers have discovered.

Researchers led by Hiroshi Ohno at the RIKEN Center for Integrative medical sciences (IMS) in Japan have discovered that food antigens like milk proteins help keep tumors from growing in our guts, specifically the small intestines. Experiments reveal how these proteins trigger the intestinal immune system, allowing it to effectively stop the birth of new tumors. The study was published in the scie

Staphylococcus aureus, mostly known from its antibiotic-resistant variant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is among the leading causes of both community- and hospital-acquired infections. According to the most recent data, MRSA killed around 120,000 people in 2022 globally and far more are killed by antibiotic-susceptible strains of S. aureus.

New research from The Wistar Institute's Montaner lab—led by Wistar Executive Vice President, director of the HIV Cure and Viral Disease Center, and Herbert Kean, M.D., Family Professor, Luis Montaner, D.V.M., D.Phil.—has successfully isolated and cloned fully human antibodies that can block specific Type-I interferon molecules in vitro; their discovery has an array of potential clinical & researc

Monoclonal antibodies—treatments developed by cloning a cell that makes an antibody—could help provide an answer to the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, say scientists.

A study led by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that breast milk provides protection against rotavirus, a common gastrointestinal disease that causes diarrhea, vomiting and fever in infants.

Children with asthma who are exposed to high levels of indoor allergens, such as cockroach and mouse allergens, are at an increased risk of developing respiratory viral infections with symptoms, according to a new study by researchers at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.

Mayo Clinic researchers mined the molecular foundations of cancer and uncovered a new reason chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T cell therapy) fails in some patients. This discovery has fueled new strategies that incorporate antibodies and gene editing to improve the outcome of this breakthrough treatment for patients. This research by Saad Kenderian, M.B., Ch.B., a consultant in Hematology at Mayo C

Researchers at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center of Max Delbrück Center and Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin (ECRC) have found that different anatomical sections of the gastrointestinal tracts of mice carry different compositions of microbial communities. Moreover, the specific makeup of the microbiota can influence the type and abundance of immune cells in any particular region.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with a poor prognosis, and no effective treatment has been established to date. Understanding the mechanisms that prevent the progression of AKI is crucial. In AKI, immune cells known as macrophages produce lipid mediators (LMs), which are lipids with significant physiological activity that play a pivotal role in promoting and suppressing inflammation. Thus,

A study by the team of Prof. Kodi Ravichandran (VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research) and colleagues found that pyroptosis, a form of programmed cell death traditionally thought to be purely inflammatory, also plays a crucial role in promoting healing and tissue repair. This research, published in Nature, opens new avenues for understanding how our bodies respond to injury and could lead to

A new study from Karolinska Institutet has mapped how MAIT cells, which play an important role in the body's defense against microbes, exhibit different properties depending on the tissue they are in.

A computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics nomogram model can achieve favorable efficacy for predicting low-risk patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD), according to a study published online July 31 in Frontiers in Immunology.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a class of immunotherapy that have revolutionized the treatment of cancer. However, they can cause a wide variety of autoimmune toxicities, including immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated acute kidney injury (ICI-AKI).

Why do some people feel itchy after a mosquito bite or exposure to an allergen like dust or pollen, while others do not? A new study has pinpointed the reason for these differences, finding the pathway by which immune and nerve cells interact and lead to itching.

Scientists from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Imperial College London have shown for the first time which aspects of our immune systems are regulated by sex hormones, and the impacts this has on disease risk and health outcomes in males and females.

A study in Frontiers of Medicine uncovers a unique reparative function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the process of fracture healing, a discovery that adds a new dimension to our understanding of the immune response in tissue regeneration.

A study published in Protein & Cell details experiments conducted to understand the role of IL-24 in atopic dermatitis (AD)-like conditions.

In a study that reshapes what we know about COVID-19 and its most perplexing symptoms, scientists have discovered that the blood coagulation protein fibrin causes the unusual clotting and inflammation that have become hallmarks of the disease, while also suppressing the body's ability to clear the virus.

As researchers estimate that nearly all Americans have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, whether through infection or vaccination, we are no longer "immunologically naive"—in other words, our immune systems are familiar with certain variants of SARS-CoV-2. This familiarity can pose a problem for vaccine development.

Fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a chronic and progressive interstitial lung disease, caused by an immune response to inhaled foreign antigens or allergens. Researchers from Yale's Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine have used single-cell sequencing technology to provide the first high-resolution atlas of this disease, revealing a previously unrecognized immune signature

Synthetic immunology, an innovative field of research that could lead to fundamentally new approaches and methods in the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer, is the topic of a new article published in Nature Nanotechnology.

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a metabolic switch in the immune system's T cells that is essential to the generation of memory T cells—which confer lasting immunity to previously encountered pathogens—and a T cell subtype found in tumors that drives anti-tumor responses during immunotherapy.

Immune cells use two different routes to produce acetyl-CoA, an essential metabolite required to fight infection and cancer, reports a study led by Van Andel Institute scientists.

Research from Radboud university medical center reveals that T cells from the adaptive immune system can manipulate the memory of innate immune cells. Previously, it was believed that the memory of innate immune cells operated independently.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have shown for the first time how and why the depletion of microbes in a newborn's gut by antibiotics can lead to lifelong respiratory allergies.

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine have discovered why the flu vaccine can perform poorly. They found that a specific type of immune cell, called T follicular helper cells, indirectly controls the anti-influenza response.

The protective effect of established COVID-19 vaccines is initially very robust, but wanes relatively quickly. This limitation imposes a need for periodic booster shots, which drives vaccine hesitation.

Macrophages, also known as scavenger cells, are part of our immune system. They destroy invading pathogens and are found in the organs and the bloodstream. Led by Prof. Dr. Peter Wieghofer, professor of cellular neuroanatomy, researchers at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Augsburg in Germany have now gained new insights into these immune cells in the eye.

Inherited diseases of metabolism and immunity have more in common than previously recognized, according to a new study published in the journal Science Immunology. The findings point to a new set of metabolic genes that are important for the function of immune system T cells, and they offer insights that could improve care for patients with these disorders.

An international collaboration, involving researchers from Monash University and the University of Oxford, has led to a breakthrough in our understanding of how immune responses are started. The study has been published in Nature.

Northwestern Medicine investigators have uncovered how antibody responses are regulated by epigenetic factors commonly mutated in cancers, according to a study published in Nature Immunology.

A WEHI study could help solve a long-standing mystery into why a key immune organ in our bodies shrinks and loses its function as we get older. The thymus is an organ essential for good health due to its ability to produce special immune cells that are responsible for fighting infections and cancer.

The discovery of a new regulator affecting immune cells could lead to new treatments to reduce inflammation in diseases including arthritis and severe COVID 19.

Neutrophils are an important type of white blood cell that help your immune system fight infections. One of the many ways neutrophils help is by capturing germs in sticky, spider web-like structures called neutrophil extracellular traps, or NETs. However, excessive formation of NETs is seen in many autoimmune diseases as a sign of exuberant inflammation.

People with celiac disease must navigate everyday life by avoiding gluten, a protein in wheat, rye and barley which can trigger painful symptoms in the gut, impede the absorption of nutrients and raise the risk of other serious long-term issues.

A discovery by a three-member Albert Einstein College of Medicine research team may boost the effectiveness of stem-cell transplants, commonly used for patients with cancer, blood disorders, or autoimmune diseases caused by defective stem cells, which produce all the body's different blood cells.

Researchers at Stanford Engineering have developed a nanoparticle platform that could make existing vaccines more effective, including those for influenza, COVID-19, and HIV. In addition to helping vaccine candidates produce stronger, longer-lasting immune responses, the platform will allow researchers to elicit and test different types of immune responses to determine what is most effective for p

Nearly a quarter of children with recurrent wheezing have "silent" lung infections that would be better treated with antiviral medications than commonly prescribed steroids that can carry lifelong side effects, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reveals.

Known for their role in allergic reactions, mast cells have long been recognized as key players in our immune system. When they encounter allergens, they release chemicals that trigger typical allergy symptoms such as tissue swelling and inflammation.

The nose is a major gateway to our bodies—for the air we breathe, the aromas we smell and the microbes that make us sick. On its way in, the air passes through nasal conchae, or turbinates—the long, narrow, curled shelves of bone that look like a shell and protrude into the breathing passage.

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have published the first-ever, in-depth analysis of immune cell memory in the upper airways of adult volunteers. Among these immune cells, the researchers spotted "tissue resident" memory cells, which stand ready to defend the airway from SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory diseases.

Australian children with potentially deadly peanut allergies will be offered life-saving treatment in a nationwide program touted as a world first.

A study has found that a subset of a special type of white blood cells called monocytes could be the key to regrowing blood vessels in the legs of patients with chronic limb-threatening limb ischemia (CLTI).

Infecting volunteers with malaria reveals why some get sick and others don't—and points to ways to induce stronger immunity through vaccination.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is a commonly used curative therapy for individuals with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). HCT involves introducing stem cells from a compatible donor with the aim of replacing the affected cells in the recipient's body. Reduced-toxicity conditioning (RTC) is an approach for reducing drug-related toxicities post HCT in patients with IEIs.

Aging significantly impacts the immune system, notably through the involution of the thymus, which reduces T cell production. This decline weakens immune responses, making older adults more susceptible to infections and diseases. Aged T cells also exhibit reduced recognition and responsiveness to antigens, impairing immune surveillance and memory.

Small, laboratory-grown balls of cells made from the intestinal tissue of people with celiac disease have revealed a previously unknown molecular link between gluten exposure and intestinal damage, according to a study by researchers at Stanford Medicine.

Cornell researchers have identified a switch that regulates inflammation caused by an immune response, a finding that could one day help clinicians control inflammation-related conditions such as autoimmune, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

Monoclonal antibodies have become indispensable in medicine to combat cancers, infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders. But the mechanism of action of a major monoclonal antibody developed for ulcerative colitis has remained elusive—until now.

A new combined cell therapy for kidney transplants can help to reduce the donor-specific reaction against the transplanted organ without the need for maintenance triple immunosuppression. The overall diversity of the T-cell receptor repertoire, which is important for immune defense, is preserved. This is shown by an international study led by MedUni Vienna, which was recently published in the jour

USC scientists have discovered a way to turn the body's B cells into tiny surveillance machines and antibody factories that can pump out specially designed antibodies to destroy cancer cells or HIV, two of medicine's most formidable foes.

New research from UNC Charlotte's Center for Computational Intelligence to Predict Health and Environmental Risks (CIPHER) has found that the two recent and prevalent strains of the virus that cause COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.2.86 and JN.1, are not significantly better than their predecessor Omicron at evading immune responses and causing infections despite having a high number of mutations

Researchers from the University of South Australia have developed a new technique to significantly enhance a powerful treatment for leukemia and other blood cancers.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool's Center for Drug Safety Science have identified unpredicted T-cell immune responses to the adenoviral (Oxford/AstraZeneca and Janssen) COVID-19 vaccines, but not to the mRNA vaccines.

A naturally occurring peptide called PEPITEM could potentially rejuvenate the immune response in older individuals and protect against "inflammaging," which is widely believed to be the root cause of many age-related diseases.

Platelets play an essential role in wound healing. Underproduction can cause devastating bleeding, while overproduction increases the deadly risk of thromboses. Maintaining a constant level of platelets in the blood (homeostasis) is therefore vitally important. Platelets are continuously formed by megakaryocytes (MKs) and released into the blood.

A new study, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, shows that about 2% of the population develop autoantibodies against type 1 interferons, mostly later in life. This makes individuals more susceptible to viral diseases like COVID-19. The study, conducted by UZH researchers together with a USZ team, is based on an analysis of a large collection of historical blood samples.

A medical mystery served as the genesis for a Yale-led study that has promising implications for treating a range of autoimmune diseases.

Early exposure to antibiotics can trigger long term susceptibility to asthma, according to new research from Monash University. Importantly, the research team isolated a molecule produced by gut bacteria that in the future could potentially be trialed as a simple treatment, in the form of a dietary supplement, for children at risk of asthma to prevent them developing the disease.

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have found that inflammation in an immune cell may be responsible in part for some severe symptoms in a group of rare genetic conditions called lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs).

Human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells refer to stem cells derived from adult somatic cells like blood or skin cells. hiPS-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPC-CMs) have shown promise in treating ischemic heart disease. However, their clinical application is limited by an incomplete understanding of their immunogenicity. Now, researchers from Juntendo University developed a humanized mice model and e

A study from the University of Michigan has identified a potential new treatment for food allergies in inulin, a naturally occurring plant fiber commonly used as a supplement, a prebiotic in soda, a replacement for sweeteners and for other products and purposes.

Vaccines provide a front-line defense against dangerous viruses, training adaptive immune cells to identify and fight specific pathogens.

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have taken a leap forward in understanding how we might fight back against the potentially deadly MRSA bacterium. They have shown in an animal model that targeting a key suppressive immune molecule (IL-10) during the delivery of a vaccine improves the ability of the vaccine to protect against infection.

Monocytes, a special type of white blood cell, secrete cytokines as inflammatory messengers that are crucial for an appropriate immune response. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn have now discovered that platelets, also known as thrombocytes, communicate with monocytes and increase their inflammatory capacity.

A breakthrough for biomedical research promises new insight into immunotherapy development and disease modeling. Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have created a humanized mouse model with a human immune system and a human-like gut microbiome that is capable of mounting specific antibody responses.

Metabolic and immune pathways are highly regulated and interwoven by multiple mechanisms to govern metabolic health. Dysregulation of these pathways underlies the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), which have become prevalent worldwide in recent years.

Researchers at the University of Bonn have isolated a DNA molecule that is suitable for combating allergic contact dermatitis in mice. The aptamer binds to certain immune system messenger substances, rendering them ineffective. This even works if the active ingredient is applied to the skin in the form of an ointment.

Northwestern Medicine investigators have uncovered how a protein contributes to heart transplant tolerance in mice, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Analyzing nasal swabs taken during the pandemic, researchers at Yale School of Medicine suggest that the frequent presence of other viruses and bacteria may have helped to protect children from the worst effects of COVID-19 by boosting their immune systems. Their results are published July 1 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM).

Bone marrow adipocytes (BMAds) are situated within the bone microenvironment, in close proximity to bone cells, vascular structures, and hematopoietic tissues. The shift of bone marrow stromal/stem cells (BMSCs) lineage towards committed adipogenic progenitors at the expense of osteoprogenitors is driven by abnormal signaling within the bone microenvironment due to pathophysiological conditions.

The protein Foxp3 is vital to the function of immune cells called regulatory T cells, which control immune system activation. Despite its importance, how Foxp3 regulates the immune system using environmental cues has remained unclear.

Despite high hopes, a drug that wipes out the namesake cell type associated with the disease eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) doesn't make patients feel better and doesn't reverse tissue damage in their throats.

B cells are known to generate antibodies through two different responses—an "emergency response" and an "everything is okay, let's prepare for the future response," says Mark Shlomchik, UPMC Professor and Distinguished Professor of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Researchers have developed a novel method capable of producing clinical doses of viable autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells in a ultra-small automated closed-system microfluidic chip, roughly the size of a pack of cards.

Antibodies can be likened to keys, with antigens as the corresponding locks. Each antibody is uniquely shaped to fit a specific antigen, much like a key fits its particular lock. The precise ability to bind to disease-causing proteins makes antibodies invaluable for researchers developing new treatments.

Researchers from the Department of Bioengineering (BE), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have designed a novel 3D hydrogel culture system that mimics the mammalian lung environment. It provides a powerful platform to track and study how tuberculosis bacteria infect lung cells and test the efficacy of therapeutics used to treat TB.

Moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise training are associated with improvements in clinical asthma outcomes, according to a study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: in Practice.

Our bone marrow—the fatty, jelly-like substance inside our bones—is an unseen powerhouse quietly producing 500 billion new blood cells every day. That process is driven by hematopoietic stem cells that generate all of the various types of blood cells in our bodies and regenerating themselves to keep the entire assembly line of blood production operating smoothly.

What causes food allergies to develop? There's compelling evidence that suggests imbalances of the gut microbiome could be to blame, creating inflammation of the intestinal tract and a gut environment that's prone to food allergies.

An enzyme-based treatment developed by Yale researchers mitigated autoimmunity and reduced death rates in both genetic and non-genetic mouse lupus models, a new study reveals.

Chinese scientists reveal the feasibility, tolerability, and efficacy of BCMA-CD19 bispecific CAR T-cells for treating chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and highlight the potential of CAR-T cell therapy in treating relapsed/refractory autoimmune disorders. This strategy is a promising step toward creating a potentially curable treatment for CIDP.

A team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has developed a new paper-based serological test that can rapidly and accurately monitor changes in immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. This innovative technology promises to revolutionize how we assess and track immunity in individuals, providing critical data to inform public health decisions

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have shed light on how an unusual population of T cells may drive harmful inflammation in people with ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the large intestine.

The prevalence of allergic diseases has been increasing globally, posing significant public health challenges. Allergic reactions can range from mild, such as allergic rhinitis (AR) and conjunctivitis, to severe, like allergic bronchial asthma (BA). Conventional allergy treatments like antihistamines primarily address symptoms rather than underlying immunological mechanisms.

Autoimmune diseases cannot currently be cured, only treated, and this is also true for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, which affects the central nervous system. A Kobe University study of how the treatment acts on the immune system shows that it shifts the balance of types of immune cells. This finding may represent a step toward the development of personalized medicine for autoimmune dise

Lebrikizumab is associated with sustained effects for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis for up to week 52 following withdrawal of treatment, according to a study presented at the annual Revolutionizing Atopic Dermatitis Conference, held from June 8 to 10 in Chicago.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge have discovered that a type of white blood cell—called a regulatory T cell—exists as a single large population of cells that constantly move throughout the body looking for, and repairing, damaged tissue.

In a study published in Nature Medicine, an interdisciplinary team of researchers from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) and the Sydney Precision Data Science Centre at the University of Sydney have, for the first time, identified molecular biomarkers for transplant rejection that are common to all the major transplanted organs: hearts, lungs, livers, and kidneys.

Due to differences in clinical presentation and limited knowledge, diagnosing Sjögren's disease in children can be challenging. Although dysregulation of multiple immune response pathways has been shown in adults, few studies have investigated pathophysiological mechanisms in children.

By late in the pandemic, more than 96% of individuals in the U.S. ages 16 and older had COVID-19 antibodies from infection or vaccination. However, immunity from the virus tends to wane over time. Uptake of the boosters has been quite low, meaning that over time the current high levels of protection will dissipate.

If you've been sick with COVID-19, you may have some protection against certain versions of the common cold.

Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered a previously unknown link between two key pathways that regulate the immune system in mammals—a finding that impacts our understanding of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This family of disorders severely impacts the health and quality of life of more than 2 million people in the United States.

While most cell types experience a functional decline after years of proliferation and replication, T cells can proliferate seemingly indefinitely and without detriment.

CAR-T cell therapies are transforming the treatment of previously incurable blood cancers. Six approved CAR-T products have been administered to more than 20,000 people, and more than 500 clinical trials are underway. However, according to a recent study out of the Massachusetts General Hospital, among 100 patients suffering from lymphomas, myelomas or B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias that wer

Immune system cells called macrophages play an unexpected role in the complicated connection between obesity and cancer, a Vanderbilt University Medical Center-led research team has discovered.

A new position paper from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) addresses the safety of administering live vaccines to patients who are currently being treated with dupilumab, a biologic therapy for various allergic conditions.

There is no significant association between exposure to immunosuppressive therapies and development of incident cancers among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and a history of cancer, according to a study published online May 18 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in over 700 million infections and 7 million deaths worldwide. While age is recognized as a risk factor for severe COVID-19, the reasons for this are not yet fully understood.

Ciliopathies are multisystem disorders characterized by the dysfunction of motile and/or non-motile cilia, which show common clinical manifestations of ciliopathies include retinal degeneration, mental retardation, renal abnormality, obesity, and skeletal dysplasia. Fibrosis of vital organs, characterized by the extensive deposition of extracellular matrix components, represents another complicati

Clinton Mathias, associate professor of nutritional sciences in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), has discovered a potential new treatment for allergic reactions.

A recent study by a team led by Professor Shin Kaneko successfully induced regulatory T cell (Treg)-like cells from iPS cell-derived conventional helper T cells (Tconvs) and demonstrated their ability to suppress xenogenic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). The findings are published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Bacteria, parasites, viruses—the immune system tackles them all. At the front line of the human immune response are cells called macrophages, which are responsible for correctly identifying intruders and then directing how the entire immune system responds.

Scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School have identified how the first domino falls after a person encounters an allergen, such as peanuts, shellfish, pollen or dust mites. Their discovery, published in the journal Nature Immunology, could herald the development of drugs to prevent these severe reactions.

A new study from the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center reveals a connection between the most common type of white blood cells, which act as a first defense in the body's immune system, and a severe complication of CAR T-Cell immunotherapy.

A team of researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Virginia have made progress toward developing a drug candidate for treating chronic pain more safely.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have isolated human monoclonal antibodies against influenza B, a significant public health threat that disproportionately affects children, the elderly and other immunocompromised individuals.

Australia has often been called the "allergy capital of the world".

The research group of Professor Riitta Lahesmaa have discovered a novel modulator for human regulatory T cells. This novel regulator can strengthen or dampen immune response and provides a new basis for therapeutic approaches for immune mediated diseases.

Joshua A. Boyce, MD, chief of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is the senior author of a paper published in Immunity, "Mast Cells Control Lung Type 2 Inflammation via Prostaglandin E2-Driven Soluble ST2."

A team of molecular oncologists at Tsinghua University's State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, in China, has found that engineered, long-lived and multifunctional T cells repress signs and symptoms of allergic asthma in mice for up to a year.

A new study conducted by researchers from the German Rheumatology Research Center Berlin, an institute of the Leibniz Association, and the Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin has shed new light on how cytokines, in particular interleukin 21(IL-21), shape long lasting humoral immunity following vaccination.

Feeding children peanuts regularly from infancy to age five reduced the rate of peanut allergy in adolescence by 71%, even after many years when the children ate or avoided peanut as desired.

New research from scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) suggests people who received COVID-19 vaccines and then experienced "breakthrough" infections are especially well armed against future SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Celery, a major cause of vegetable allergies, carries the risk of causing severe allergic reactions, especially in individuals with mugwort pollen sensitization.

Eosinophils are specialized cells of our immune system. They are identified by their distinctive granules that stain red when treated with an acidic reagent, eosin, that gave them their name. Eosinophils are typically rare in our blood and tissues, accounting for about 3% of our white blood cells. Their biological roles are poorly understood, but recent studies suggest that eosinophils are involve

Researchers from the Centenary Institute and the University of Sydney have made a major discovery in vaccine science, gaining new insights into delta inulin as a crucial vaccine component. Their findings offer a promising pathway for advancing the next generation of vaccines.

A study which examines the common skin condition, chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), characterized by recurrent hives, has been recently published by Trinity College Dublin researchers in the journal Allergy.

The immune system strikes a fine balance by identifying and neutralizing disease-causing agents while carefully avoiding destruction of healthy tissues and cells. Now, researchers from Japan have shed new light on one of the processes that helps train immune cells to act only against genuine threats.

A certain biological pathway—a set of linked reactions in the body—drives the inflammation seen in the skin disease psoriasis, a new study finds. The work could lead to improved therapies for all inflammatory skin diseases, including atopic and allergic dermatitis and a type of boil called hidradenitis suppurativa, say the study authors.

A large team of biomedical researchers affiliated with a host of institutions across the U.S., the U.K., Saudi Arabia and France, has learned more about many of the factors involved in xenotransplantation as they conducted a large number of tests on two brain-dead human patients that had received genetically engineered pig hearts.

In the battle against diseases, the human body boasts an intricate defense network capable of identifying and neutralizing threats—the immune system. It serves as a guardian, constantly patrolling the body to keep it safe from invaders like bacteria, viruses, and even cancer cells.

The COVID-19 pandemic is over, but the virus that caused it is still here, sending thousands of people to the hospital each week and spinning off new variants with depressing regularity. The virus's exceptional ability to change and evade immune defenses has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to recommend annual updates to COVID-19 vaccines.

Researchers in the Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology have identified that features of the immune system that were previously considered to be characteristics of autoimmune diseases are normal components of the immune system in human gut that interact with each other alongside bacteria. The study is published in Nature.

A new microporous scaffold functions as a minimally-invasive surveillance method to identify rejection prior to graft injury in a mouse model, according to a study published in Science Advances.

Imagine the human body mounting an excessively heightened reaction to an infection, causing multiple organ failures and posing a risk of death. This condition, recognized as sepsis, affects approximately 49 million individuals worldwide annually. To reduce the mortality rate and the global burden of sepsis, the World Health Organization has classified it as a priority research area.

Published in Nature Aging, University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have provided new insight into enhancing immune responses in older individuals and the potential for using immunotherapy to make older adults less vulnerable to infections.

The protein galectin-1 (Gal-1) has been identified as a new PET imaging biomarker for immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, allowing physicians to predict the tumor responses before beginning treatment.

Australian researchers have discovered how changes in antibody levels over time can predict which children are likely to outgrow their peanut allergy.

Malignant primary brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer deaths among children and young adults with few therapeutic options. Treatments are limited by the blood–brain barrier, a unique structure within the brain formed by tightly connected cells that line the inside of blood vessels.

Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have made an important breakthrough that offers promise for developing new immune therapies for cancer. They have discovered that a vaccine adjuvant called C100 promotes potent anti-tumor immunity when it is injected directly into tumors in an animal model.

Researchers at MIT, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School have developed a potential new treatment for alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss and affects people of all ages, including children.

New USC research shows that iron serves as a gas pedal driving certain immune cells that cause inflammation in the lungs during an allergic asthma attack—and blocking or limiting iron may reduce the severity of symptoms.

Gut microbiota or the population of microbial inhabitants in the intestine, plays a key role in digestion and maintenance of overall health. Any disturbance in the gut microbiota can, therefore, have a systemic impact. Intestinal microbes metabolize dietary components into beneficial fatty acids (FAs), supporting metabolism and maintaining host body homeostasis.

Intestinal epithelial cells line the inner wall of the gut, creating a barrier against dangerous bacteria like enteropathogenic E. coli that seek to attach to and destroy this barrier. Such pathogens pose significant risks to human health, including infant deaths due to diarrhea, particularly in developing countries.

B-cells infiltrating the lungs may be responsible for one of the most common complications in lung transplantation, which can lead to rejection, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

LMU researchers have deciphered the complex interplay of various enzymes around the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which plays an important role in defending our bodies against viruses.

A first-of-its-kind study led by the University of Oxford has successfully investigated human immunity against COVID-19 in people who already have antibodies against it. The results suggest that previous infection, together with vaccination, offers strong protection against the original COVID-19 strain.

Daily immunotherapy delivered via a dermal patch reduced the risk of reactions, including anaphylaxis, in children with an immunoglobulin E (IgE)–mediated cow's milk allergy, according to a recent clinical trial published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Findings from a new study, led by researchers at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine and published in Nature Immunology, have uncovered key functional differences in macrophages—a type of white blood cell that plays a pivotal role in the body's innate (general) immune system as a first-line defender against pathogens.

Duke researchers have opened a new avenue in the attack against influenza viruses by creating a vaccine that encourages the immune system to target a portion of the virus surface that is less variable.

Having a child with food allergies isn't easy to manage, and now new research shows that most of these parents turn to social media for medical advice.

Currently, most therapies for allergic diseases require lifelong treatment. Allergic reactions, characterized by ongoing (type 2) inflammation in response to chronic antigen exposure, underlie many chronic diseases in humans, including asthma, atopic dermatitis, ulcerative colitis and more. T helper 2 (Th2) cells play an important role in the body's immune response, particularly in allergic reacti

Colorectal cancer stands as one of the leading malignancies in the digestive system, ranking third and second in terms of new cases among men and women worldwide, respectively. Given the high incidence of this disease and the low response rate to immunotherapy, it is imperative to identify the environmental impeding factors to devise more precise and effective therapeutic strategies.

A team of researchers led by Dr. Hirotsugu Oda at the University of Cologne's CECAD Cluster of Excellence for Aging Research has discovered the role a specific protein complex plays in certain forms of immune dysregulation. The result may lead to new therapeutic approaches aimed at reducing autoinflammation and "repairing" the immune systems of patients who suffer from a genetic dysfunction of thi

Researchers from the Organoid group have developed a new organoid model that can be used to study the thymus. The organoids are derived from mouse thymus tissue, specifically model thymic epithelial cells (TECs). These cells are responsible for training the T cells of the immune system to properly respond to pathogens.

Our lungs are bombarded by all manner of different particles every single day. While some are perfectly safe for us, others—known as pathogens—have the potential to make us ill. The immune system trains its response whenever it encounters such a pathogen. Yet researchers at the University of Bonn have now shown that even harmless particles help to improve the immune response and have published the

A fully functioning immune system is essential to help the body maintain good health, and macrophages play a critical role in maintaining robust immune responses against infections.

Chemokines are signaling proteins that orchestrate the interaction of immune cells against pathogens and tumors. To understand this complex network, various techniques have been developed to identify chemokine-producing cells.

Osaka University researchers have discovered liver resident macrophages' pivotal role in defending against gut bacteria and related substances entering via the portal vein, particularly under compromised intestinal barrier conditions. Identified as "sentinel macrophages," they are activated by isoallo-lithocholic acid.

Driven by the overuse of antimicrobials, pathogens are quickly building up resistances to once-successful treatments. It's estimated that antimicrobial-resistant infections killed more than 1 million people worldwide in 2019, according to the World Health Organization.

Adequate drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier is a critical factor in treating central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Inspired by swimming fish and the microstructure of the nasal cavity, Prof. Cui is the first to develop swimming short fibrous nasal drops that can directly target the nasal mucosa and swim in the nasal cavity, which can effectively deliver drugs to the brain. The paper is

A study by researchers at National Jewish Health published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology reports that air pollutants—including particulate matter, pollen, greenhouse gases, and other harmful substances—can contribute to the development and exacerbation of allergic diseases by disrupting the skin barrier.

Gut bacteria have emerged as a focal point of scientific exploration, with their intricate roles in our metabolism, nutrition, and overall health coming into sharp focus. New research from the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology has made a discovery that could lead to a better understanding of and treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as colitis and Crohn's disease. The research

In a new study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have designed a new method for developing immunotherapy drugs using engineered peptides to elicit a natural immune response inside the body.

Thinking about getting a spring-time booster shot? A new study coming out of York University's Centre for Disease Modelling in the Faculty of Science shows that immunity after a COVID-19 booster lasts much longer than the primary series alone. These findings are among other—sometimes "unintuitive"—revelations of how factors like age, sex and comorbidities do and don't affect immune response.

In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, researchers found that intravenous therapies made from virus-specific T-cells (VST) can effectively treat immunocompromised pediatric patients, far surpassing the current standard of care, according to new research published in Nature Communications.

Today, patients who receive an organ transplant need repeated surgical biopsies to test for acute cellular rejection (ACR) throughout their lifetimes. But a blood test for ACR could be on the horizon following the discovery of a promising biomarker.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an additional indication for AstraZeneca's Fasenra (benralizumab) as an add-on maintenance treatment for patients aged 6 to 11 years with severe asthma and an eosinophilic phenotype.

Children with liver transplants must take immunosuppressant medications for life. To maintain tolerance of the transplanted liver, doctors treat transplant rejection and conduct ongoing maintenance immunosuppression by increasing dosages of medication enough to counteract rejection.

Preparing a kid for summer camp is already a daunting task, and it's even more complicated if your child has allergies or asthma, experts say.