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Research suggests Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine reprograms innate immune responses

Researchers in The Netherlands have warned that Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine induces complex reprogramming of innate immune responses that should be considered in the development and use of mRNA-based vaccines.

10 May 2021

Scientists investigate signal necrotic cells that cue phagocytic cells to engulf the dying cell

Just as people keep their houses clean and clutter under control, a crew of cells in the body is in charge of clearing the waste the body generates, including dying cells. The housekeeping cells remove unwanted material by a process called phagocytosis, which literally means 'eating cells.' The housekeepers engulf and ingest the dying cells and break them down to effectively eliminate them.

7 May 2021

Monocytes promote viral control during SARS-COV-2 infection

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv by Vanderheiden et al. (May 4th, 2021) the contribution of monocytes in promoting protective immunity from SARS-CoV-2 is investigated in a murine model, suggesting that CCR2 plays the role of an inflammation modulator in early infection.

6 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 study in human gut organoids

Most of the major life-threatening symptoms of COVID-19 disease are associated with the host's generation of an exacerbated pro-inflammatory immune response. Many studies have correlated the intensity of the immune response with the severity of disease.

3 May 2021

Host protein mimicry of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding motif

In a new study, structural bioinformatics approaches are employed to investigate the potential mimicry of the receptor-binding motif (RBM) of these three coronaviruses, finding that several proteins from both human and non-human sources were similar to each, with implications regarding the mechanism of infection and tropism of SARS-CoV-2.

29 Apr 2021

Commonly-prescribed drug for IBD blunts COVID-19 vaccine response

People who take a commonly-prescribed drug for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) should not assume they are protected after a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, after a large-scale study found many had poor antibody responses.

26 Apr 2021

Intestinal worm infection can cause severe sexually transmitted viral diseases

Infection with parasitic intestinal worms (helminths) can apparently cause sexually transmitted viral in-fections to be much more severe elsewhere in the body.

16 Apr 2021

Intestinal worm infections can make African women more vulnerable to sexually-transmitted viral infections

Intestinal worm infections can leave women in sub-Saharan Africa more vulnerable to sexually-transmitted viral infections, a new study reveals.

15 Apr 2021

Ponatinib identified as a potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV2-induced cytokine storm

Researchers at the Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Washington, United States, found that the FDA-approved, multi-kinase inhibitor Ponatinib is a potent inhibitor of the N-terminal domain (NTD) -mediated cytokine storm. Ponatinib is an oral drug used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

14 Apr 2021

Experimental evidence that ADAM17 inhibition prevents severe COVID-19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus that is contagious in humans. It is the causal agent of the ongoing coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This virus causes a mild to severe infection and has claimed over 2.95 million lives worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 is the successor to SARS-CoV-1, the virus that caused the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.

13 Apr 2021

High expression of cell death genes may increase risk of early death from lung cancer

Patients with a high number of genes most associated with pathways that lead to cell death in lung cancer are at increased risk of dying early from their disease, researchers report.

5 Apr 2021

Infliximab may hinder the effectiveness of some COVID-19 vaccines

A new study reports reduced vaccine efficacy following the use of a single COVID-19 vaccine dose in people who are on the immunosuppressive monoclonal antibody Infliximab.

31 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 inhibits the cellular response to interferon

Researchers have explored the effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the function of RIG-I and MDA5, and ultimately on interferon production.

31 Mar 2021

Study explains the link between psoriasis treatment and cardiovascular diseases

Patients with psoriasis, an autoimmune skin disorder, often have cardiovascular disorders as well. Hence, it is important for patients and clinicians to understand how treatments for psoriasis may influence cardiovascular disease risks.

30 Mar 2021

Circular RNA vaccine shows neutralizing activity against B.1.351 variant

New preclinical research led by Wensheng Wei from Peking University in China has proposed the development of a circular RNA vaccine. Their findings showed the circular RNA vaccine creates neutralizing antibodies and strong T-cell responses against the receptor-binding domain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein.

21 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike stimulates hyperinflammation via Toll-like receptor 2

A new study, released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, describes the mechanism of inflammation in severe COVID-19, besides revealing a potential new therapeutic target to modulate the severity of COVID-19.

19 Mar 2021

Could cinnamon modulate the immune response in severe COVID-19?

A new study describes the potential for two common plant products to make a difference in the management of severe COVID-19.

18 Mar 2021

A SARS-CoV-2 spike protein adjuvant vaccine candidate produces durable rapid protection in vivo

A recent study reports the safety and high efficacy of an adjuvanted vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 and the complications of COVID-19.

5 Mar 2021

Well-known spasmolytic drug can suppress inflammatory response in astrocytes

Biologists from RUDN University confirmed that a well-known spasmolytic drug called hymecromone can suppress the inflammatory response in astrocytes, important glial cells of the central nervous system.

26 Feb 2021

NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors may help treat early COVID-19, says study

A new study by researchers in the U.S. further supports the hypothesis that the unregulated release of inflammatory cytokines is responsible for the local and systemic inflammation that is associated with multi-organ damage and death in severe COVID-19.

26 Feb 2021