Immune System News and Research

RSS

SARS-CoV-2 immunity may last over six months through antibody evolution and B cell memory

With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic infecting over 52.7 million people around the world, and killing over 1.2 million, a large amount of research has tried to better understand immune responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen that causes COVID-19.

15 Nov 2020

Research looks at aerobiomes, trees and implications for public health

In a recent bioRxiv preprint paper, Jake M. Robinson and colleagues study the dynamics of 'aerobiome' - the collection of microorganisms in a given airspace, with respect to the height from the ground level.

12 Nov 2020

Convalescent plasma in COVID-19 can be effective, especially early in disease

A team of researchers in the United States have conducted an extensive literature review looking at the usage of convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat those with an impaired immune system. Their study, titled “Therapeutic use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients with immunodeficiency: A systematic review,” has been released on medRxiv*, the preprint server.

12 Nov 2020

Antidepressant drug fluvoxamine may prevent some serious complications of COVID-19

In a preliminary study of COVID-19 patients with mild-to-moderate disease who were attempting to recover in their homes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that the drug fluvoxamine seems to prevent some of the most serious complications of the illness and make hospitalization and the need for supplemental oxygen less likely.

12 Nov 2020

Human coronaviruses cause processing body loss

Researchers continue to expand their knowledge of coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogen. Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 describes a vital mechanism whereby the novel SARS-CoV-2 pathogen can restrict the human host response. In doing so, the study explores how this novel feature of SARS-CoV-2 works and how it results in a reshaping of the human host's immune response.

11 Nov 2020

Researchers find a better way to block asthma triggers

Every day, ten Americans die from asthma. While quick-acting inhalers and medications can reduce inflammation during an asthma attack, people with asthma have few tools to prevent the next attack from coming.

11 Nov 2020

Host genetic "super-variants" may increase COVID-19 death risk

Researchers at Yale University have identified genetic variants among people of white British ancestry that may increase the risk of dying from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – the illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

11 Nov 2020

Five important questions about Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine

Pfizer's announcement on Monday that its COVID-19 shot appears to keep nine in 10 people from getting the disease sent its stock price rocketing. Many news reports described the vaccine as if it were our deliverance from the pandemic, even though few details were released.

11 Nov 2020

Researchers identify new prognostic markers for colon cancer

The gut-associated lymphoid tissue represents an integral part of the immune system. Among the powerful players of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue are isolated lymphoid structures (ILSs).

11 Nov 2020

Effectiveness of vitamin C against COVID-19 depends on its natural transporter levels

High doses of vitamin C under study for treating COVID-19 may benefit some populations, but investigators exploring its potential in aging say key factors in effectiveness include levels of the natural transporter needed to get the vitamin inside cells.

11 Nov 2020

Synthetic protein nanoparticle may treat aggressive brain cancer

A new synthetic protein nanoparticle capable of slipping past the nearly impermeable blood-brain barrier in mice could deliver cancer-killing drugs directly to malignant brain tumors, new research from the University of Michigan shows.

11 Nov 2020

Study: SphK2 enzyme regulates immune cell responses during viral infection

Viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C evade or disrupt the immune system to create persistent infections.

11 Nov 2020

A promising vaccine for treating poorly immunogenic tumors

Patients with cancer have multiple treatment options available to them today, but each has its drawbacks. Chemotherapy kills rapidly dividing cancer cells, but it also damages healthy cells in the body and often does not effectively prevent tumor metastasis or disease recurrence.

11 Nov 2020

$4 million NIH grant supports research for tackling teenage depression

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in 2017 approximately 13% of adolescents in the United States, or 3.2 million children aged 12 to 17, had at least one major episode of depression.

11 Nov 2020

Lowest risk for autism associated with mid-levels of immune marker measured at birth

The causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - including genetic and environmental factors - are not entirely understood. Many studies have already shown that serious maternal infection during pregnancy is associated with increased risk for offspring in both people and animals.

10 Nov 2020

Novel super-activating macrophage receptor could explain hyper-inflammation in severe COVID-19

Immunity is a curious thing. While essential in protecting the body against invading pathogens and foreign antigens, it can also turn against the body and trigger destructive immunological processes. A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in November 2020 reports on the role played by hyperactive macrophages in a range of acute and chronic hyper-inflammatory conditions.

10 Nov 2020

Clinical study of personalized cancer vaccine to expand after promising preliminary data

A clinical trial at the University of Arizona Health Sciences designed to study the safety and effectiveness of a personalized cancer vaccine in combination with the immunotherapy drug Pembrolizumab will expand its cohort after promising preliminary data was presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Immunotherapy of Cancer.

10 Nov 2020

Research uncovers a new underlying cause of heart attack

Heart attacks strike suddenly and have a range of different triggers. Researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) were able to uncover a further underlying cause.

10 Nov 2020

Daily walnut consumption may reduce the risk of heart disease

Findings from a randomized controlled trial recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, indicate that people in their 60s and 70s who regularly consume walnuts may have reduced inflammation, a factor associated with a lower risk of heart disease, compared to those who do not eat walnuts.

10 Nov 2020

Babies can acquire allergies from their mothers in the womb

Mothers can pass on allergies to offspring while they are developing in the womb and that is one reason why babies exhibit allergies early in life, according to a Singapore preclinical study.

10 Nov 2020