Immune System News and Research

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Drug combo for untreated CLL approved by FDA based on E1912 trial

Patients with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma now have a new treatment option--a combination of the targeted agent ibrutinib with the immunologic agent rituximab.

29 Apr 2020

Food crisis and socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 in the hungriest countries

The number of people battling acute hunger and suffering from malnutrition is on the rise again. The upheaval set in motion by the COVID-19 pandemic may push even more families and communities into deeper distress.

29 Apr 2020

New study could improve our understanding about platelets

University of Kentucky College of Medicine researcher Sidney Whiteheart has been awarded a prestigious Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute for his research on how platelets function in hemostasis and during immune responses.

29 Apr 2020

Australian COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows protective response in pre-clinical trials

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, scientists race to develop a vaccine that can help contain the spread of the virus. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has so far infected more than 3.18 million people across the globe. Now, early tests of a potential coronavirus vaccine have shown promise in pre-clinical trials.

29 Apr 2020

Researchers discover cause for the lack of immune defense against tumors

One of the reasons why cancer develops is because regulatory cells inhibit the body's immune defense. Researchers under the helm of the Technical University of Munich have discovered a mechanism for identifying regulatory cells in tumor tissue that suppress an immune response.

29 Apr 2020

Researchers test existing anti-inflammatory drug in COVID-19 patients

An anti-inflammatory drug developed at Scripps Research 25 years ago is now being tested as a way to prevent acute respiratory distress in patients with COVID-19, the pandemic disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

29 Apr 2020

Study with twins shows COVID-19 symptoms have genetic contribution

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv from King's College, London, suggests that an individual's genetic makeup may contribute to how much a person is likely to be affected by COVID-19, or whether they are likely to be infected at all.

29 Apr 2020

Study reveals SARS-CoV-2 RNA cap structure

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in April 2020 reports the discovery of the structure of the cap created by the novel coronavirus on virally encoded mRNAs. The finding could help create new antiviral strategies.

29 Apr 2020

Study explores the growth rate effect of gut bacteria on break down of dietary fibers

It is known that approximately 80% of human immune system functions in the gastrointestinal tract. Gut bacteria and their metabolites play a fundamental role in the interaction between gut and other organs.

29 Apr 2020

C-Path receives EMA’s letter of support to facilitate the diagnoses of type 1 diabetes

The Critical Path Institute (C-Path) today announced that its Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Consortium has received a letter of support from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to facilitate the development and validation of the proposed regulatory qualification of pancreatic islet autoantibodies commonly used in clinical practice to diagnose T1D: insulin autoantibodies, glutamic acid decarboxylase 65, and insulinoma antigen-2 autoantibodies as enrichment biomarkers for T1D clinical trials.

29 Apr 2020

Researchers receive ERC grant to speed up the diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a disease that affects 2-3 people out of 100,000, in which our immune system attacks our own brain causing neurological and psychiatric symptoms.

28 Apr 2020

Albany, Wisconsin researchers look for molecular clues to fight COVID-19

In the center of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are racing to maintain quality care for patients with severe disease while facing a shortage of resources and limited understanding of the novel coronavirus.

28 Apr 2020

Immunotherapy before surgery may help eradicate high-risk breast cancer

A new study led by Yale Cancer Center researchers shows women with high-risk HER2-negative breast cancer treated before surgery with immunotherapy, plus a PARP inhibitor with chemotherapy, have a higher rate of complete eradication of cancer from the breast and lymph nodes compared to chemotherapy alone.

28 Apr 2020

Researchers describe an underlying biological basis for mylagic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Mylagic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling and complex illness. Affected persons often cannot pursue ordinary activities -- physical or mental -- because of an incapacitating loss of energy and other symptoms, and may find themselves confined to bed or house-bound for years.

28 Apr 2020

Research on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein may lead to new vaccines and treatments

The virus that causes COVID-19 is studded on its exterior with "spike proteins," a key component in its ability to infect human cells. Two University of Georgia researchers, Rob Woods and Parastoo Azadi, are investigating the proteins and sugars on the surface of the virus with the goal of finding information that could lead to vaccines and therapeutics.

28 Apr 2020

A new tool for developing gene therapies against cancer, genetic disorders, and blood diseases

A UCLA-led research team today reports that it has developed a new method for delivering DNA into stem cells and immune cells safely, rapidly and economically.

28 Apr 2020

COVID-19 can trigger serious inflammatory-related cardiovascular problems

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is potentially fatal for vulnerable populations like seniors who over 60 years old, and those with underlying medical conditions, like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease. Reports show that patients are suffering from heart impairment caused by COVID-19. A new study sheds light on the effect of the novel coronavirus on the heart, causing cardiovascular problems, even in those without underlying heart conditions.

27 Apr 2020

Study looks at outcomes of COVID‐19 during pregnancy

With the world at a standstill as the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spreads across the globe, governments are struggling to slow down its wrath. Worldwide public health responses and emergency measures have been implemented to stem the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

27 Apr 2020

New, previously unknown form of familial cold urticaria discovered

Skin rash combined with head and joint pain: these are the symptoms which patients with familial (hereditary) cold urticaria develop when exposed to temperatures below 15 °C.

27 Apr 2020

Prolonged corticosteroid treatment increases adrenal gland inflammation

New research by academics at the University of Bristol has found evidence that prolonged treatment of synthetic corticosteroid drugs increases adrenal gland inflammation in response to bacterial infection, an effect that in the long-term can damage adrenal function.

27 Apr 2020