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Scientists reveal how cGAS-STING fuels brain inflammation and neurodegeneration

The cGAS-STING pathway is emerging as a key driver of chronic neuroinflammation through its effects on glial activation, neuronal stress, blood-brain barrier integrity, and type I interferon signaling. The review highlights why selective, context-dependent modulation of cGAS-STING could help treat neurodegenerative diseases, while preserving its essential roles in antiviral defense and tumor surveillance.

10 Jun 2026

Scientists discover new intracellular immune defense against infections

When we think of the immune system, most people imagine white blood cells putting up a fight against invading germs within our bloodstream.

4 Jun 2026

Researchers discover a biological barrier that limits mucosal vaccine immunity

A consistent biological barrier that stops the immune system from making the antibodies most needed to protect the nose and throat from respiratory viruses has been identified.

4 Jun 2026

Understanding mitochondrial biology in alcohol-associated liver disease and cancer

For decades, giant mitochondria-known as megamitochondria-have been recognized in liver biopsies from patients with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD).

1 Jun 2026

Scientists uncover shared gene signatures that reveal how mammals age

Researchers mapped more than 11,000 transcriptomes across mice, rats, macaques, and humans, revealing conserved molecular signatures of aging and mortality across tissues, species, and cell types. The study developed interpretable transcriptomic clocks that track age, mortality-related molecular change, chronic disease signals and responses to lifespan-altering interventions.

29 May 2026

Lung cancer cells change identity to resist medical treatments

Cancer scientists have discovered that lung cancer cells can change their identity to resist treatment.

27 May 2026

Hydroxychloroquine lowers heart risks in skin lupus patients

A study led by investigators from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that some patients with discoid lupus erythematosus - a form of skin lupus commonly diagnosed in young to middle-aged Black women that causes disc-shaped plaques to form on the body - were less likely to experience complications, such as diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease if they were prescribed hydroxychloroquine.

26 May 2026

Combination therapy improves response rates for chronic hepatitis B patients

The optimal management strategy for adults with immune-tolerant (IT) chronic hepatitis B infection remains undefined. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and predictive factors of a pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN)-based treatment strategy in IT patients with chronic HBV infection.

22 May 2026

New guidelines for identifying and treating high-risk IEC-HS patients

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of hematologic malignancies, offering durable responses for patients with otherwise refractory disease. However, its clinical success is accompanied by a spectrum of immune-related toxicities, which remain a major challenge in practice.

15 May 2026

Common tuberculosis screening test could predict long-term patient survival

Scientists have long known that the immune system plays a key role in aging. As people age, they have weaker responses to vaccination, greater risks of infection and higher levels of inflammation.

11 May 2026

Cell swelling in macrophages may trigger stronger inflammatory immune responses

As part of the body's first line of defense against foreign invaders, macrophages play an integral role in the innate immune system.

7 May 2026

Food timing may shape how T cells respond to infection and therapy

Short-term nutritional state can reshape T cell metabolism, with post-meal lipid metabolism enhancing T cell metabolic capacity, cytokine production, and persistence after activation. The study identifies triglyceride-rich chylomicrons as key drivers of this effect, suggesting nutritional timing may matter for immune monitoring, vaccination research, and cell-therapy manufacturing.

30 Apr 2026

Study reveals new immune mechanism behind mevalonate kinase deficiency

Researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have uncovered a critical mechanism driving inflammation in mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD), a rare but devastating autoinflammatory disorder.

30 Apr 2026

New immune mapping tool reveals how lung cancer reshapes immune cells

Researchers at VIB and VUB have developed a powerful new way to study how the immune system behaves inside lung tumors.

27 Apr 2026

Influenza D shows strong potential to spill over to humans

The influenza D virus that researchers say has been flying under the radar since its detection in animals in 2011 can vigorously make copies of itself in human cells and lung tissue samples, a new study shows.

24 Apr 2026

How the immune system may influence Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and related diseases

This review argues that neurodegeneration is shaped not only by toxic protein buildup but also by immune signaling, with microglia and T cells able to either protect the brain or worsen damage depending on context. It also highlights aging, head injury, and viral infection as major forces that reshape CNS immunity and may influence disease progression and future treatment strategies.

16 Apr 2026

Ultrasensitive assay uncovers hidden burden of tuberculosis disease

Researchers at Boston University have discovered an unexpectedly high prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA (TB DNA) in patients hospitalized in Boston, suggesting that tuberculosis disease may be significantly underdiagnosed in the United States.

14 Apr 2026

SARS-CoV-2 rarely reaches first-trimester placentas but still disrupts early pregnancy immunity

Researchers analyzing 761 first-trimester pregnancies found that SARS-CoV-2 was rarely detected in placental tissues, suggesting in utero transmission early in pregnancy is uncommon. However, maternal infection was linked to immune dysregulation at the maternal-fetal interface, altered trophoblast signaling, and inflammatory changes that could affect placental development.

14 Apr 2026

CIPHER-seq technology reveals how immune cells communicate during treatment

A new single-cell technology is giving scientists their clearest view yet of immune cell behavior-capturing not just genetic intent but real-time activity.

8 Apr 2026

Gut-derived metabolites regulate immune cells in complex ways

Published on March 23, 2026, in Volume 2, article number 18 of the journal Immunity & Inflammation, the review begins by systematically outlining the sources and synthetic pathways of immune-relevant microbial metabolites, including bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, amino acid derivatives, vitamins, trimethylamine/trimethylamine N-oxide, and odd-chain fatty acids.

31 Mar 2026