Immune System News and Research

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America’s obesity epidemic threatens effectiveness of any COVID vaccine

For a world crippled by the coronavirus, salvation hinges on a vaccine.

6 Aug 2020

Scientists create new mouse model of permanent neonatal diabetes

Diabetes seldom occurs in newborns--a condition known as neonatal diabetes. But when it does, it's mostly due to a mutation in a single gene such as the KCNJ11 or insulin (INS).

6 Aug 2020

Carefully engineered spike protein can help develop COVID-19 vaccine

The experimental vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 that was the first to enter human trials in the United States has been shown to elicit neutralizing antibodies and a helpful T-cell response with the aid of a carefully engineered spike protein that mimics the infection-spreading part of the virus.

6 Aug 2020

Climate change and disruption of ecosystem affect allergies, respiratory disorders

Climate change and disruption of the ecosystem have the potential to profoundly impact the human body. Xue Ming, professor of neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, who recently published a paper in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on the effects of climate change on allergies, autoimmunity and the microbiome - the beneficial microorganisms that live on and inside the human body - discusses how the delicate balance of the environment affects conditions such as allergies, autism, and immune disorders.

6 Aug 2020

HDAC6 inhibitors increase efficacy of immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer

Genetic modifier HDAC6 was found to control tumor growth and halt metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer in vivo, according to a new study published in the top-tier journal Cancer Research by investigators at the George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center.

6 Aug 2020

COVID-19 should be treated as an acute inflammatory disease, Massey scientist says

The COVID-19 pandemic has had detrimental effects on global infrastructure sectors, including economic, political, health care, education and research systems, and there is still no definitive treatment strategy for the disease.

5 Aug 2020

Beneficial microbes reprogram the B cell repertoire that produce antibodies

The mammalian gut is home to trillions of microbes which are essential for a healthy immune system and good nutrition.

5 Aug 2020

European Commission approves first drug for hepatitis D

What started off as basic research 25 years ago has now lead to a successfully approved drug: The entry blocker bulevirtide (brand name Hepcludex, formerly known as Myrcludex B), jointly developed by researchers from Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg, the DZIF and other partners, has now been approved by the European Commission.

5 Aug 2020

Study shows the strategies tumor cells use to evade immune defense

Scientists are increasingly trying to use the body's own immune system to fight cancer. A new study by the University of Bonn and research institutions in Australia and Switzerland now shows the strategies tumor cells use to evade this attack.

5 Aug 2020

Study demonstrates the dual effect of acetate in immune response

The concentration of acetate increases particularly sharply at the site of an infection in the body. As reported in the journal Cell Metabolism by a team of researchers from the University of Basel and colleagues, acetate supports the function of certain immune cells and thus helps to eliminate pathogens safely and efficiently.

5 Aug 2020

Study: Inhibition of TLK protein stimulates the innate immune system

Tousled-like kinases (TLKs) are a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment due to their central role in DNA repair and replication.

5 Aug 2020

Neutrolis announces development of first-in-class therapy to target NETs in COVID-19 patients

Neutrolis, a biotechnology company developing therapeutics that target neutrophils, the most abundant immune cells in the body, today announced the development of NTR-441, a first-in-class DNASE1L3 enzyme analog that has the potential to rapidly and systemically clear neutrophil extracellular traps for severe cases of COVID-19.

5 Aug 2020

Regeneron's COVID-19 antibody-drug cocktail treats SARS-CoV-2 virus in animals

Now, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals says its COVID-19 antibody-drug cocktail under development prevented and treated the disease in monkeys and hamsters, showing promise that it may work in humans.

5 Aug 2020

Study: "Memory" T cells that recognize common cold coronaviruses also recognize SARS-CoV-2

Your immune system's "memory" T cells keep track of the viruses they have seen before. This immune cell memory gives the cells a headstart in recognizing and fighting off repeat invaders.

5 Aug 2020

Can Vitamin D help combat the coronavirus?

In a new report published in The Lancet, a team of researchers discussed the possibility that vitamin D could offer protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials performed from 2007 to 2020.

4 Aug 2020

Discovery of new mechanism in the immune system provides better understanding of diseases

An active immune system protects against diseases and infections. An overactive immune system is the body's worst enemy. One example of this is multiple sclerosis, which is a so-called autoimmune disease, while an overactive immune system also leads to some COVID-19 patients becoming seriously ill.

4 Aug 2020