Immune System News and Research

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Adipose tissue, a promising new source of HSPCs

Bone marrow is a leading source of adult stem cells, which are increasingly used for research and therapeutic interventions, but extracting the cells is an arduous and often painful process. Now, researchers have found evidence that fat tissue, known as adipose tissue, may be a promising new source of valuable and easy-to-obtain regenerative cells called hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), according to astudy prepublished online in Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.

28 Jan 2010

Researchers use nanofactories to prevent bacteria without using antibiotics

New research at the A. James Clark School of Engineering could prevent bacterial infections using tiny biochemical machines—nanofactories—that can confuse bacteria and stop them from spreading, without the use of antibiotics.

28 Jan 2010

Elevated cytokine levels are early indicator of rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers from University Hospital in Umea, Sweden, have identified several cytokines, cytokine-related factors, and chemokines that increase significantly prior to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease onset. These findings confirm those of earlier studies which suggest that the risk of developing RA can be predicted and disease progression may be prevented.

28 Jan 2010

Antibiotic protects against noise-induced hearing loss in young mice

A type of antibiotic that can cause hearing loss in people has been found to paradoxically protect the ears when given in extended low doses in very young mice.

28 Jan 2010

Good bacteria may help counteract negative effects of antibiotics in humans

Scientists have long pondered the seeming contradiction that taking broad-spectrum antibiotics over a long period of time can lead to severe secondary bacterial infections. Now researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine may have figured out why.

27 Jan 2010

Vitamin D supplements can counter the effects of Crohn's disease

A new study has found that Vitamin D, readily available in supplements or cod liver oil, can counter the effects of Crohn's disease. John White, an endocrinologist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, led a team of scientists from McGill University and the Universit- de Montr-al who present their findings about the inflammatory bowel disease in the latest Journal of Biological Chemistry.

27 Jan 2010

Juvaris BioTherapeutics completes second close on its Series B equity financing

Juvaris BioTherapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing adjuvanted vaccines for infectious diseases, announced that it has completed a second close on its Series B equity financing of up to $25 million. The additional equity investment came from an undisclosed strategic corporate investor who joins SV Life Sciences and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers in the round.

27 Jan 2010

Investigators identify new disease mechanism and therapeutic approach for lupus kidney disease

Investigators have identified a new disease mechanism and therapeutic approach for a type of advanced kidney disease that is a common cause of complications in patients with lupus. The

27 Jan 2010

MU researcher develops EFdA compound that is more potent than current HIV therapies

With the help of effective drug therapies, HIV patients are living longer, healthier lives. Now, researchers want to improve these drug therapies and develop alternative preventative strategies, such as vaginal gels and creams that contain the same or related compounds used in treatments for people infected with HIV.

27 Jan 2010

Tel Aviv University expert reviews environmental triggers of common autoimmune diseases

The links between autoimmune diseases, infections, genetics and the environment are complex and mysterious. Why are people who live near airports more susceptible to autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus? How do hormones in meat trigger the onset of a disease?

27 Jan 2010

Researchers renew hope that effective vaccine could be developed against Salmonella infection

Research from Malawi, Birmingham and Liverpool has renewed hope that an effective vaccine could be developed against nontyphoidal strains of Salmonella. The work, funded by the Wellcome Trust and GlaxoSmithKline, suggests that the body's immune system could be primed to tackle even the most resilient of strains.

27 Jan 2010

Study shows congenital HGH deficiency has no effect on normal lifespan

People profoundly deficient in human growth hormone (HGH) due to a genetic mutation appear to live just as long as people who make normal amounts of the hormone, a new study shows. The findings suggest that HGH may not be the "fountain of youth" that some researchers have suggested.

27 Jan 2010

Study: PROSTVAC-VF vaccine effective in treating patients with metastatic prostate cancer

In a newly published clinical trial, patients with metastatic prostate cancer who received a vaccine of harmless poxviruses engineered to spur an immune system attack on prostate tumor cells lived substantially longer than patients who received a placebo vaccine, report researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and affiliated organizations.

27 Jan 2010

Osiris Therapeutics completes enrollment in Prochymal MSC therapy Phase II trial for type 1 diabetes

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has achieved a $750,000 milestone payment from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for completing enrollment in a Phase II clinical trial evaluating Prochymal, an adult mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy, as a treatment for patients recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The milestone is the fourth in a series of payments resulting from JDRF’s partnership with Osiris for the development of a therapy for type 1 diabetes.

27 Jan 2010

HZI researchers explore novel therapies to keep the immune system young and functional for healthy aging

By comparing the immune responses of both, young and old mice, to bacterial infection they found that the number of macrophages, one of the major cell populations involved in the elimination of infecting bacteria, decreases rapidly in aged mice. This decline in the number of fighters and the associated weakness of the immune defense may be responsible for the age-associated increase in susceptibility to infections.

27 Jan 2010

Research paves way for future vaccine against gastric adenocarcinoma

Despite a strong response from our immune defence, the body is unable to rid itself of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. One reason for this is that this bacterium encourages elements of the immune response to remain in tissue, activating the wrong immune cells. Research results that pave the way for a future vaccine are now being published by the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

25 Jan 2010

Vaccination for children: Pros and cons

ProCon.org, a nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity dedicated to promoting critical thinking, created the new website http://vaccines.procon.org to explore the core question "Should any vaccines be required for children?"

23 Jan 2010

FDA approves fampridine-SR drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug fampridine-SR for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have been evaluating the effects of the drug in MS for more than 10 years- it is the first medication shown to enhance some neurological functions in people with the disease - and their efforts helped pave the way for today's action by the FDA.

23 Jan 2010

Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation disbursed $1 million in research awards; looks forward to fund more projects in 2010

The Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation has disbursed nearly $1 million in research awards for work on a breakthrough medical technology and is making more project funding available in 2010.

22 Jan 2010

The American Journal of Pathology: Highlights from February 2010 issue

A group led by Dr. Peter Lloyd Jones at the University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland; the University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO; and the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA has demonstrated that tenascin-C affects proto-oncogene function in breast cancer. Their report can be found in the February 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

22 Jan 2010

Immune System News and Research

Adipose tissue, a promising new source of HSPCs

Researchers use nanofactories to prevent bacteria without using antibiotics

Elevated cytokine levels are early indicator of rheumatoid arthritis

Antibiotic protects against noise-induced hearing loss in young mice

Good bacteria may help counteract negative effects of antibiotics in humans

Vitamin D supplements can counter the effects of Crohn's disease

Juvaris BioTherapeutics completes second close on its Series B equity financing

Investigators identify new disease mechanism and therapeutic approach for lupus kidney disease

MU researcher develops EFdA compound that is more potent than current HIV therapies

Tel Aviv University expert reviews environmental triggers of common autoimmune diseases

Researchers renew hope that effective vaccine could be developed against Salmonella infection

Study shows congenital HGH deficiency has no effect on normal lifespan

Study: PROSTVAC-VF vaccine effective in treating patients with metastatic prostate cancer

Osiris Therapeutics completes enrollment in Prochymal MSC therapy Phase II trial for type 1 diabetes

HZI researchers explore novel therapies to keep the immune system young and functional for healthy aging

Research paves way for future vaccine against gastric adenocarcinoma

Vaccination for children: Pros and cons

FDA approves fampridine-SR drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis

Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation disbursed $1 million in research awards; looks forward to fund more projects in 2010

The American Journal of Pathology: Highlights from February 2010 issue

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