Inflammasome News and Research

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Study identifies ORF8 protein as a key COVID-19 causing factor

New study suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 protein is the underlying cause behind severe COVID-19 infection.

8 Dec 2021

Role of interferon type I-driven responses associated with disease control in COVID-19

New research suggests that treatment with type I interferons in the early stage of COVID-19 may supress disease progression by limiting SARS-CoV-2 in hosts.

1 Dec 2021

Preexisting rhinovirus infection and IFN induction in epithelium of asthma patients decreases SARS-CoV-2 infection

In a recent study, researchers explored the effects of RV, HDM, and SARS-CoV-2 on differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) in vitro and in experimental in vivo RV infection in healthy subjects and asthmatic patients.

22 Nov 2021

Two genetic risk variants in Black individuals may exacerbate sepsis and COVID-19 severity

Two genetic risk variants that are carried by nearly 40 percent of Black individuals may exacerbate the severity of both sepsis and COVID-19, a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine have found.

16 Nov 2021

Identification of common genes in COVID-19 and COPD

Based on protein-protein interactions, the paper shows the presence of ten genes that overlap between the two illnesses, also shared by several other deadly and debilitating diseases.

2 Nov 2021

Antidepressant Prozac could offer the first treatment for atrophic macular degeneration

An antidepressant best known as Prozac could offer the first treatment for the leading cause of blindness among people over 50, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests.

21 Oct 2021

J&J vaccine prevents SARS-CoV-2-induced thrombosis and inflammation in hamsters

In a recent study, researchers performed bulk RNA-Seq transcriptomic profiling of lungs from vaccinated and unvaccinated hamsters with the Janssen vaccine.

4 Oct 2021

Damaging DNA builds up in the eyes to drive blinding age-related macular degeneration

Damaging DNA builds up in the eyes of patients with geographic atrophy, an untreatable, poorly understood form of age-related macular degeneration that causes blindness, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine reveals.

1 Oct 2021

Caspase-11 identified as regulator of inflammatory pathology in SARS-CoV-2 infections

New findings identify CASP4/11 as detrimental to inflammation and coagulopathy associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

28 Sep 2021

Limited evidence colchicine reduces COVID-19 related hospitalization

The present randomized clinical trial attempted to study if colchicine will effectively hasten recovery and reduce COVID-19 associated hospitalizations or death.

27 Sep 2021

Study identifies how immune sensors launch a multi-faceted innate immune response to infections

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital immunologists have identified how immune sensors in infected cells organize and launch a multi-faceted innate immune response to infections with live viruses and bacteria. The discovery appears today in Nature.

2 Sep 2021

Activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by the N protein of SARS-CoV-2 to induce hyperinflammation

A new study has revealed the mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 N protein activates NLRP3 inflammasomes to induce hyperinflammation.

5 Aug 2021

Researchers investigate how CBD could play a therapeutic role in oral ulcer

Xingying Qi, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, presented the oral session "Cannabidiol Promotes Oral Ulcer Healing by Inactivating CMPK2-Mediated NLRP3 Inflammasome" at the virtual 99th General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research, held in conjunction with the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research and the 45th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on July 21-24, 2021.

22 Jul 2021

Study explores the effects of SARS-CoV-2 (and other betacoronaviruses) on cellular mRNA processing

A new study has been released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which deals with a comprehensive survey on alternative splicing concerning SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study has also included two other betacoronavirurses (SARS-CoV and MERS), a control set of unrelated viruses, and a bacterium, namely, Streptococcus pneumonia. The study findings suggest that several cellular parameters are affected owing to a betacoronavirus infection, which in turn affects some genes and invariably various biological functions.

6 Jul 2021

Ion channel conserved in coronaviruses a potential new drug target for COVID therapeutics

To this end, a recent study published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology discusses the structures of the SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).

30 Jun 2021

Viral phosphoesterases (including in CoVs) can restrict antiviral innate immunity

An interesting new study describes the activities of a family of viral enzymes called two-histidine-phosphoesterases (2H-PEs), found in coronaviruses (CoVs) and rotaviruses, as well as a mammalian A-kinase anchoring protein enzyme, AKAP7, that shares the same function. Together called 2’,5’-PEs, these enzymes all break down 2’,5’-oligoadenylate compounds that activate the antiviral enzyme ribonuclease L (RNase L).

21 Jun 2021

Gasdermin D plays a key role in the maturation and release of IL-1α

Interluekin-1α (IL-1α) is an important part of the immune response, but until now it has been unclear how this molecule is processed from its precursor, pro-IL-1α, and exits the cell during inflammasome activation.

21 Jun 2021

Metformin prevents pulmonary or lung inflammation in animals infected with SARS-CoV-2

Metformin is a widely prescribed blood sugar-lowering drug. It is often used as an early therapy (in combination with diet and lifestyle changes) for type 2 diabetes, which afflicts more than 34 million Americans.

11 Jun 2021

Researchers review the therapeutic potential of resveratrol nasal formulations in COVID-19

In a recently published article in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, scientists have reviewed the existing literature on antiviral and anti-inflammatory efficacy of resveratrol-based inhaled formulations in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and reducing COVID-19 severity.

9 Jun 2021

Inflammasomes could play an important role in the development of obesity-related colon cancer

New research presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (held online, 10-13 May) finds evidence that structures called inflammasomes (a part of the innate immune system that helps to regulate inflammation) could play an important role in the development of obesity-associated colon cancer.

10 May 2021