Immune System News and Research

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New method to stimulate immune system may be effective at reducing amyloid burden in Alzheimer?s

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a novel way to stimulate the innate immune system of mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD) - leading to reduced amyloid deposits and the prevention of Alzheimer's disease related pathology - without causing toxic side effects.

15 Feb 2009

Bone marrow transplant patients may benefit from new immune research

Bone marrow transplant (BMT) researchers at The Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center in Milwaukee may have found a mechanism that could preserve the leukemia-killing effects of a transplant graft, while limiting the damage donor immune cells might do to the recipient host's vital organs.

11 Feb 2009

Fluid buildup in lungs is part of the damage done by the flu

In a fight against respiratory infections, the body typically produces a little fluid to help the lungs generate a productive cough.

10 Feb 2009

Researchers identify mutation that causes inflammatory bowel disease

A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute has linked a mouse mutation to an increased susceptibility for developing inflammatory bowel disease -- represented in humans as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which together are estimated to affect more than a million people in the United States.

10 Feb 2009

Targeted immune cells shrink tumors in mice

Researchers have generated altered immune cells that are able to shrink, and in some cases eradicate, large tumors in mice.

10 Feb 2009

Blood clotting cells help fight malaria

Australian researchers have discovered that blood clotting cells help fight malaria.

10 Feb 2009

Oncostatin M may be a promising drug for treating viral hepatitis and liver cancer

This research, coordinated by the doctors Jesús Prieto, Esther Larrea, Pablo Sarobe, Iranzu González and Rafael Aldabe, has been published in the Journal of Virology ; a journal of the American Society of Microbiology.

9 Feb 2009

Marijuana use may increase risk of testicular cancer

Frequent and/or long-term marijuana use may significantly increase a man's risk of developing the most aggressive type of testicular cancer, according to a study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

9 Feb 2009

Link found between humidity and influenza virus survival and transmission

A new study by Oregon researchers has found a significant correlation between "absolute" humidity and influenza virus survival and transmission.

9 Feb 2009

Camouflaging of viral DNA could be crucial step in progression of cancers

An estimated 15% of cancer cases can be linked to a viral infection, however the biological changes that cause some asymptomatic carriers of a virus to develop full-blown tumors are not well understood.

9 Feb 2009

Body's defenses may worsen chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder

Although the immune system is designed to protect the body from harm, it may actually worsen one of the most difficult-to-treat respiratory diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), according to new University of Cincinnati (UC) research.

9 Feb 2009

World experts meet in Australia to find ways to wipe out malaria

Australia is host to a meeting of World health experts which aims to find ways of eradicating malaria, one of the world's most dangerous killer diseases.

9 Feb 2009

Chemical mediator in blood found to also control breakdown of bone

A new study demonstrates that a chemical mediator in the blood that influences immune cell migration also plays a key role in maintaining the balance between the build-up and breakdown of bones in the body.

8 Feb 2009

Discovery of direct link between vitamin D and MS susceptibility 'gene'

Researchers have found evidence that a direct interaction between vitamin D and a common genetic variant alters the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS).

8 Feb 2009

Research to explore why lupus therapies work for some, not others

The results should shed light not only on the mechanisms behind the disease, but more broadly on the workings of our immune system, especially how our bodies churn out and "train" key combat-ready immune cells, called B-cells.

8 Feb 2009

Vitamin D linked to better muscle power

Young female athletes could have yet another reason to grab a glass of vitamin D-rich milk.

5 Feb 2009

Source of cancer stem cells' resistance to radiation discovered

Much to the dismay of patients and physicians, cancer stem cells - tiny powerhouses that generate and maintain tumor growth in many types of cancers - are relatively resistant to the ionizing radiation often used as therapy for these conditions.

5 Feb 2009

Sangamo BioSciences starts trial of CCR5-ZFP therapeutic to treat HIV/AIDS

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. has announced that its collaborators at the University of Pennsylvania have opened a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate SB-728-T for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.

5 Feb 2009

Guidance for evaluating menopause-like condition in girls and young women

A comprehensive plan to help health care professionals diagnose and treat primary ovarian insufficiency-a menopause-like condition affecting girls and young women that may occur years before normal menopause is expected-has been developed by a scientist at the National Institutes of Health.

5 Feb 2009