Immune Response News and Research

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Study uncovers mechanism that affects multiplication of dengue virus lineage

A lineage of type 1 dengue virus found in Brazil is able to prevail over another even though it multiplies less in vector mosquitoes and infected human cells.

15 Aug 2018

New discoveries show how protein droplets do more than keep cells’ interiors tidy

Inside cells, where DNA is packed tightly in the nucleus and rigid proteins keep intricate transport systems on track, some molecules have a simpler way of establishing order. They can self-organize, find one another in crowded spaces, and quickly coalesce into droplets - like oil in water.

15 Aug 2018

Experts highlight key knowledge gaps that need to be addressed in Ebola vaccine research

Despite promising advances, important scientific questions remain unanswered in the effort to develop a safe and effective Ebola vaccine, according to members of an international Ebola research consortium.

13 Aug 2018

Autoimmune response contributes to vision loss in glaucoma patients

A research team from Massachusetts Eye and Ear and MIT has shown that immune cells in the eye that developed in response to early exposure to bacteria are a key contributor to progressive vision loss from glaucoma, the second leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world.

10 Aug 2018

Glaucoma could be an autoimmune disorder, study suggests

Glaucoma, a disease that afflicts nearly 70 million people worldwide, is something of a mystery despite its prevalence. Little is known about the origins of the disease, which damages the retina and optic nerve and can lead to blindness.

10 Aug 2018

One-two punch of powerful antibodies may be best way to stop Ebola virus

A one-two punch of powerful antibodies may be the best way to stop Ebola virus, reports an international team of scientists in the journal Cell.

10 Aug 2018

Doxorubicin drug causes heart toxicity by disrupting the immune system

Doxorubicin is a chemotherapy drug widely used in ovarian, bladder, lung, thyroid and stomach cancers, but it carries a harmful side effect. The drug causes a dose-dependent heart toxicity that can lead to congestive heart failure.

7 Aug 2018

Unique experimental vaccine against Zika virus proves powerful in mice

A uniquely designed experimental vaccine against Zika virus has proven powerful in mice, new research has found.

6 Aug 2018

New study finds key factors behind differences in immune responses

Age, sex, and specific human genetic variants are the key factors behind differences between immune responses among healthy humans, finds a study of 1,000 individuals carried out by EPFL and the Pasteur Institute.

6 Aug 2018

Study provides new insights into how asthma develops and progresses

Of the more than 24 million people in the U.S. who have asthma, 10 percent have severe asthma - a form of the disease that does not respond to treatment.

3 Aug 2018

Mice study shows mother's dengue immunity protects unborn from ZIKA infection

Dengue and Zika viruses are closely related and carried by mosquitos. In infested subtropical and tropical areas, dengue transmission often precedes Zika virus infection, suggesting that women who previously acquired dengue immunity may be bitten by ZIKV-carrying mosquitoes during pregnancy.

2 Aug 2018

Study: Obesity may play role in flu transmission, not just disease severity

Obesity increases a person's risk for severe complications from influenza, including hospitalization and even death.

2 Aug 2018

Researchers engineer three cell lines to produce nonproprietary versions of NISTmAb

When the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued the world's first standardized monoclonal antibody in July 2016, the exhaustively analyzed protein known as NISTmAb was intended as a valuable tool for biopharmaceutical companies.

1 Aug 2018

Researchers discover how chronic infections can outsmart the immune system

Like many chronic infections, visceral leishmaniasis thwarts the immune system's defenses so it can settle comfortably into its host.

1 Aug 2018

Inhibiting a protein could enhance effectiveness of cancer immunotherapies

Researchers at the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy in the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center discovered inhibiting a previously known protein could reduce tumor burdens and enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments.

31 Jul 2018

Gene linked to hair loss could be exploited to improve cancer immunotherapy

A gene that's associated with an autoimmune form of hair loss could be exploited to improve cancer immunotherapy, suggests a new mouse study by Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) researchers.

31 Jul 2018

Researchers investigate potential of injectable trace minerals to keep dairy cows healthier

When dairy cattle consume aflatoxin-contaminated feed, they are lethargic, their appetite wanes, they produce less milk, and their immune system goes awry.

31 Jul 2018

Genetic factors may play a role in progression of liver injury in Caucasians with hepatitis B infection

A new study has shown that genetic variation may increase the risk of severe liver damage in Caucasians with chronic hepatitis B infection.

27 Jul 2018

PEACHI project develops vaccine strategies targeting both HIV and hepatitis C virus

An estimated 2.3 million people globally are infected with both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and hepatitis C virus.

27 Jul 2018

Nucleic acid nanoparticles found to have varying immune responses

An extensive experiment testing the immune effects of a broad group of lab-designed nucleic acid nanoparticles did not find a strong, uniform immune response, as had been predicted.

27 Jul 2018