Interleukin 6 News and Research

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Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the "IL6" gene. IL-6 is an interleukin that acts as both a pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine. It is secreted by T cells and macrophages to stimulate immune response to trauma, especially burns or other tissue damage leading to inflammation.

IL-21 protein is a major part of immune response to chronic infections in the central nervous system

Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine now better understand the role of a protein, interleukin-21 (IL-21), in the immune system response to infections in the nervous system.

6 Oct 2020

Study confirms SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein promotes a hyper-inflammatory immune response

A group of researchers from Australia and China recently demonstrated how SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein subunit 1 can induce a pro-inflammatory signaling pathway (leading to cytokines deployment and epithelial damage in human bronchial epithelial cells), but also highlighted the potential of peptide-based antivirals in tackling this novel coronavirus.

5 Oct 2020

Lung tissue in fatal COVID-19 shows broad cell tropism and extensive damage

In a recent preprint paper published on the medRxiv server, researchers demonstrated their investigation of fatal COVID-19 patients to assess infection in various cell types and the extent of damage it caused to the lung tissues.

30 Sep 2020

Wearable device tracks biomarkers in sweat associated with inflammatory bowel disease

University of Texas at Dallas researchers have designed a wearable device that monitors sweat for biomarkers that could signal flare-ups of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

28 Sep 2020

Auto-antibodies may explain why some people develop severe COVID-19

Now, a new study by an international team of health experts shows that some life-threatening cases of COVID-19 can be traced to specific weak spots in the patients' immune system.

28 Sep 2020

Study reveals how loss of protein arginine methyltransferase affects proper brain development

Normal brain development requires a precise interplay between neuronal and non-neuronal (also called glial) cells.

24 Sep 2020

Bioinformatics analysis reveals genes and pathways shared in COVID-19 disease and comorbidities

Using bioinformatics approaches, researchers have identified genes and pathways shared among patients with comorbidities and having severe COVID-19. The research is published on the preprint server bioRxiv in September 2020.

23 Sep 2020

Children exhibit distinct immune system responses against COVID-19

Children and adults exhibit distinct immune system responses to infection by the virus that causes COVID-19, a finding that helps explain why COVID-19 outcomes tend to be much worse in adults, researchers from Yale and Albert Einstein College of Medicine report Sept. 18 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

23 Sep 2020

Novel sequencing method could be useful for COVID-19 research

Researchers at the University of Chicago and the Cleveland Clinic have presented a novel single-cell RNA sequencing method that could be a useful application for research into the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

20 Sep 2020

Discovery could help enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy against melanoma

Researchers at the University of Bern have discovered a mechanism in the body’s own immune system which is responsible for the maturation and activation of immune cells.

19 Sep 2020

LOX-1-immature neutrophils may help identify COVID-19 patients at risk of thrombosis complication

To predict severe outcome in COVID-19 patients, innate immune cellular signals are analyzed, identifying two novel neutrophil subsets: LOX-1- and CD123-expressing CD10-CD64+. Thromboembolic events correlated with high LOX-1 immature neutrophils – a potential prognostic signature.

17 Sep 2020

New biomarker can reliably predict aggressiveness of biliary tract cancer

The cancer called biliary tract cancer (BTC) is not the most widespread form of cancer. In western countries, about 1.6 in 100.000 gets the diagnose every year. It is, however, a very aggressive form of cancer.

15 Sep 2020

Circadian rhythm affects SARS-CoV-2 infection and host immune response

In an interesting bioRxiv preprint paper, French researchers show that the time day can affect infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as well as guide subsequent host immune response – implying that circadian rhythm may well be a novel target for managing viral progression.

14 Sep 2020

Study reveals how B cells react to SARS-CoV-2

In an exciting immunological medRxiv preprint paper, researchers from Germany and Russia analyzed adaptive immune response in severely affected patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). They demonstrated a protracted immune reaction characterized by egress of B lymphocytes into the blood.

9 Sep 2020

Pfizer, BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in preclinical study

Researchers in the United States and Germany have conducted a study demonstrating the preclinical efficacy of a new candidate vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

9 Sep 2020

Study reveals complex immunology behind MIS-C in children with COVID-19

In a recent paper published in the prestigious journal Cell, researchers from Sweden and Italy show that inflammatory response in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children associated with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) differs from the cytokine storm found in severe acute illness, involving autoantibodies at the same time and sharing several features with Kawasaki disease.

8 Sep 2020

Study addresses the role of macrophage activation syndrome in COVID-19

Scientists review macrophage activation syndrome — a feature of the cytokine storm that kills patients with severe cases of COVID-19, as well as possible treatments.

8 Sep 2020

Limited gut inflammation in COVID-19

A new study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that gut infection with this virus produces primarily mucosal immunity but also a limited inflammatory response.

8 Sep 2020

New consortium established to study the characteristics of blood cells

What's the risk of different human populations to develop a disease? To find out, a team led by Université de Montréal professor Guillaume Lettre created an international consortium to study the blood of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

4 Sep 2020