Immune Response News and Research

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Research opens the door for better use of people's own immune system T cells to fight cancer

Using laboratory-grown cells from humans and genetically engineered mice, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have evidence that modifying a specific protein in immune white blood cells known as CD8+ T cells can make the cells more robust, potentially opening the door for better use of people's own immune system T cells to fight cancer.

3 Oct 2023

Is long COVID triggering irritable bowel syndrome? Arizona study to investigate

The Arizona CoVHORT research study at the University of Arizona has received $3.2 million in funding to investigate the links between long COVID and gastrointestinal symptoms, specifically irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Led by epidemiologist Kristen Pogreba-Brown, the study aims to determine how COVID-19 impacts the incidence of IBS, offering potential benefits to millions affected by the ongoing pandemic.

1 Oct 2023

Wildling mice provide insights into how microbes affect allergies

The notion that some level of microbial exposure might reduce our risk of developing allergies has arisen over the last few decades and has been termed the hygiene hypothesis.

29 Sep 2023

Brigham researchers quantify the burden of SARS-CoV-2-associated sepsis

Using data from Mass General Brigham's electronic health records, Brigham researchers quantified the burden of SARS-CoV-2-associated sepsis early in the pandemic.

29 Sep 2023

New CRISPR-based gene-editing tool could lead to better treatments for genetic disorders

A new CRISPR-based gene-editing tool has been developed which could lead to better treatments for patients with genetic disorders.

29 Sep 2023

New toolbox solves 50-year-old blood group mystery

Currently, a lot is known about which genes are responsible for our individual blood groups, however not much is understood about how and why the levels of the blood group molecules differ between one person and another.

29 Sep 2023

SARS-CoV-2 virus can trigger dangerous immune response in artery-clogging plaques

In some patients, infection with the pandemic virus SARS-CoV-2 can trigger a dangerous immune response in hardened fatty deposits (plaques) lining the heart's largest blood vessels, a new study shows.

28 Sep 2023

Deviations from normal pattern of sleep and physical activity could predict preterm birth risk

A lack of sleep and reduced physical activity during pregnancy are linked to risk of preterm birth, according to new research led by the Stanford School of Medicine.

28 Sep 2023

Yeast in the gut linked to Crohn's disease inflammation, opening new doors for treatment

New study in Nature Medicine links yeast cells in the gastrointestinal tract to abnormal immune responses causing inflammation in Crohn's disease patients. The research suggests that these yeast-reactive T-cells could be a potential therapeutic target, offering new avenues for treatment.

27 Sep 2023

Researchers develop new way to boost immune cells' ability to fight TB

Tuberculosis is old-;ancient even. The infectious bacterial disease that plagued Old Testament Israelites and took down pharaohs was eventually stunted by vaccinations, antibiotics, and public health measures like isolation, but it hasn't been cured yet.

27 Sep 2023

Mutations on a key SARS-CoV-2 viral protein linked to extreme immune responses

Mutations on a key SARS-CoV-2 viral protein are linked to extreme immune responses and could offer a novel vaccine target.

27 Sep 2023

Researchers discover how Zika virus persists in the placenta

Before SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic, there was the Zika virus epidemic, lasting from 2015 to 2016. The Zika virus can cause serious birth defects and abnormalities.

26 Sep 2023

Monkeypox mimics smallpox vaccine's immune response, new study reveals

The study in Nature Communications reveals that MPOX infection triggers an anti-viral antibody response akin to that from smallpox vaccination. Utilizing a comprehensive array of ELISAs, scientists found a high level of specificity and sensitivity in detecting antibodies against both MPOX and smallpox, offering a new, accurate way to measure immune responses.

26 Sep 2023

Intranasal vaccine shows promise against COVID variants in hamsters

Intranasal mRNA-LNP vaccines show promise in Syrian golden hamsters, effectively reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral loads and lung pathology. The study suggests potential efficacy against new variants, setting the stage for future research in human applications.

25 Sep 2023

One gene variant could be a shield against severe COVID-19 lung damage

Researchers identify a specific genetic variant, rs2204985, linked to less severe lung involvement and a stronger immune response in COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia. The study suggests that understanding this genetic marker could help identify high-risk individuals and enhance strategies for prevention and treatment.

25 Sep 2023

Radiation therapy combined with two types of immunotherapy could be effective against cold tumors

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered that radiation therapy combined with two types of immunotherapy-;one that boosts T cells, and another that boosts dendritic cells-;can control tumors in preclinical models of triple negative breast cancer, a cancer type that's typically resistant to immunotherapy alone.

25 Sep 2023

Engineered mice reveal how Omicron subvariant BA.5 is more virulent

New research used engineered mice to compare SARS-COV-2 omicron subvariants and found one of them – BA.5 – was more virulent likely due to its ability to rapidly replicate early during infection.

25 Sep 2023

Future-proof vaccine candidate protects against wide range of coronaviruses

Studies of a 'future-proof' vaccine candidate have shown that just one antigen can be modified to provide a broadly protective immune response in animals.

25 Sep 2023

UMMC transplant team performs second pig heart transplant on patient with end-stage heart disease

After world's first successful transplant in 2022, also performed at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), this groundbreaking transplant team performed second pig heart transplant on patient deemed ineligible for traditional heart transplant.

25 Sep 2023