Macrophage News and Research

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A macrophage is a type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills microorganisms, removes dead cells, and stimulates the action of other immune system cells.

Sexually dimorphic placental antibody transfer during SARS-CoV-2 infection

In a paper recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine by Bordt et al. (October 19th, 2021), maternal SARS-CoV-2 infections are studied with particular regard to maternal-fetal antibody transfer and virus-induced placental interferon responses, finding a sexually dimorphic response that results in lesser antibody transfer to the male fetus.

26 Oct 2021

Discovery could lead to new treatments for axial spondyloarthritis

In a paper published today in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers at the Schroeder Arthritis Institute, part of University Health Network in Toronto, have made a discovery that could lead to new treatments for axial spondyloarthritis (SpA), a painful and debilitating form of arthritis which affects 1-2% of Canadians and causes inflammation in the spine, joints, eyes, gut and skin.

20 Oct 2021

RUDN study reveals macrophage dynamics in the regenerating liver after resection

RUDN University discovered the features of liver macrophages activation during its regeneration. In future, it can be used to develop new treatment methods for liver cirrhosis. The results are published in the Biomedicine.

15 Oct 2021

SARS-CoV-2 induces tissue immune memory

A new study reports that the SARS-CoV-2 induces protective tissue memory that includes both humoral and cellular elements to protect specific tissue sites.

14 Oct 2021

Novel therapy approach could stop tumor growth

The immune system protects the body from cancer. To protect healthy body cells from its own immune system, they have developed a protective shield: the protein CD47 is a so called "don't eat me" signal, which tells the immune cells to stand back.

12 Oct 2021

Altering the metabolism of macrophages improves recovery after neve injury in mice

Peripheral nerves — the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord — have the capacity for regeneration, but the rate of renewal is so slow that many nerve injuries lead to incomplete recovery and permanent disability for patients.

7 Oct 2021

Scientists describe SARS-CoV-2 uptake in tissue-resident human macrophages enhanced by virus-specific antibodies

Now, in a new news study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers have successfully induced similar chronicity associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in MISTRG6-hACE2 humanized mice.

29 Sep 2021

How SARS-CoV-2 spike binds to multiple host receptors

Researchers from the Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory in Croatia have recently investigated the sites that the S protein is capable of binding with.

23 Sep 2021

Differences in blood gene expression among patients with varying COVID-19 severity

A new study published on the medRxiv* pre-print server and currently undergoing peer-review aims to answer this question through whole blood transcriptomics of individuals with varying degrees of COVID-19 severity. Transcriptomics, done by RNA sequencing, gives insights into the genes expressed in a cell at a given time point. It gives an analysis of all RNA molecules within a cell, in this case, whole blood.

23 Sep 2021

Researchers reveal a mechanism of SHP2-mediated tumor immunosuppression

Colorectal cancer (CRC), a malignant tumor worldwide consists of microsatellite instability (MSI) and stable (MSS) phenotypes. Although SHP2 is a hopeful target for cancer therapy, its relationship with innate immunosuppression remains elusive. To address that, the authors of this article performed single-cell RNA sequencing to explore the role of SHP2 in all cell types of tumor microenvironment (TME) from murine MC38 xenografts.

21 Sep 2021

Researchers identify prediction markers which can be used to define COVID-19 severity

An estimated 14−17% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients develop a severe form of the disease, requiring oxygen support and admission to the intensive care unit.

20 Sep 2021

Specially designed lipid nanoparticles overcome resistance to anti-tumor immunotherapy

A specially designed lipid nanoparticle could deliver immune-signaling molecules into liver macrophage cells to overcome resistance to anti-tumor immunotherapy.

18 Sep 2021

Scientists identify new approach to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy

Hokkaido University scientists and colleagues in Japan have found a way that could help some patients overcome resistance to immunotherapy treatment for cancer. The approach, proven in mice experiments, was reported in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer.

17 Sep 2021

Neutrophil extracellular traps boost the bacterial killing power of macrophages

Like a spider trapping its prey, our immune system cells cooperate to capture and "eat" bacteria.

12 Sep 2021

Researchers find potential new target for treating systemic inflammation in obesity

A study led by researchers at the University of Chicago and Indiana University has determined that a protein called elF5A is necessary for driving inflammation in macrophage cells in obesity.

7 Sep 2021

Newly discovered cell type makes survivors of sepsis more vulnerable to infections

Sepsis is the leading cause of death in Brazil's intensive care units (ICUs). Among patients who progress to the severe form of the disease, 40% die, and the survivors often suffer from cardiovascular and neurological complications, as well as a significant decline in immunity lasting for years after they are discharged from hospital.

2 Sep 2021

Attenuated virulence and protective immunity in SARS-CoV-2 with a mutation in the S1/S2 cleavage site

A new study published in mBio investigates the impact of the furin cleavage site on viral growth and pathogenesis.

31 Aug 2021

Research highlights the importance of meninges for brain development and pathology

A new study, led by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, have generated the first comprehensive transcriptional atlas of neonatal mouse meningeal leukocytes, under normal conditions and after perinatal brain injury.

31 Aug 2021

New study analyzes altered gene expression in severe COVID-19

In a paper recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server, the genetic link between COVID-19 severity and gene expression is investigated, hoping to allow early identification of otherwise healthy individuals that will likely require hospitalization if infected.

30 Aug 2021

The impact of mild SARS-CoV-2 infection on maternal-fetal immunity

Recently, a new study published on the pre-print server bioRxiv* examined the effect that maternal asymptomatic COVID-19 had on decidual and peripheral immune cells during the later stage of pregnancy.