Interferons News and Research

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Treatment with interferon may ease symptoms of Ebola patients

A pilot study of a class of drugs used to treat hepatitis and some forms of multiple sclerosis has been shown for the first time to ease symptoms of Ebola patients, while also increasing their survival.

21 Mar 2017

HMS scientists listen to crosstalk between gut microbes and immune system

The human gut is home to some 100 trillion bacteria, comprising between 250 and 500 species. This astounding array of organisms, collectively known as the gut microbiome, is a powerful regulator of disease and health and has been implicated in conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to multiple sclerosis.

16 Feb 2017

Research findings could lead to development of novel therapeutic approaches against viral infections

Life is a question of balance, and the body is no exception. Expression levels of certain proteins can affect the immune system's ability to neutralize a virus.

12 Jan 2017

Researchers identify sub-population of HIV-1 strains with biological properties to transmit new infections

Upon sexual exposure, the AIDS virus must overcome some mighty barriers to find the right target cell and establish a new infection.

11 Jan 2017

Blocking protein that initiates immune response against viral infections may help combat HIV

In findings they call counterintuitive, a team of UCLA-led researchers suggests that blocking a protein, which is crucial to initiating the immune response against viral infections, may actually help combat HIV.

23 Dec 2016

New UTMB study sheds light on how Ebola effectively disables immune system

A new study at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston sheds light on how Ebola so effectively disables the human immune system.

6 Dec 2016

Hepatitis C virus sabotages antiviral defenses of liver cells by blunting effect of immune proteins

The virus that causes hepatitis C protects itself by blocking signals that call up immune defenses in liver cells, according to University of Washington researchers and colleagues reporting Nov. 14 in Nature Medicine.

17 Nov 2016

Suppressed vaginal immune response makes women more susceptible to RNA viruses

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes discovered that the vaginal immune system is suppressed in response to RNA viruses, such as Zika.

16 Nov 2016

Scientists discover new mechanism for inadequate immune defense against chronic viral infection

Scientists at the University of Basel discovered a fundamental new mechanism explaining the inadequate immune defense against chronic viral infection. These results may open up new avenues for vaccine development. They have been published in the journal "Science Immunology".

21 Oct 2016

Mice study finds new antiviral that can control flu infection

A molecule the body produces naturally in response to virus infection could be a viable flu treatment in the future, suggest researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London.

20 Sep 2016

New less invasive method could detect bacterial infection in young febrile infants

Physicians from Children's Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University, UC Davis Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital, in collaboration with 19 other pediatric emergency departments around the country, have established a "proof of principle" for measuring patterns of ribonucleic acid (RNA) expression in the bloodstream that can enable clinicians to distinguish bacterial infections from other causes of fever in infants up to two months old.

19 Sep 2016

Researchers uncover molecular differences between African and Asian strain of Zika virus infections

Scientists have revealed molecular differences between how the African and Asian strains of Zika virus infect neural progenitor cells.

1 Sep 2016

Two new studies find potential genetic cause and new treatment method for autoimmune diseases

The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. is spotlighting two new research studies originally reported in ScienceDaily.

13 Jul 2016

Researchers identify mechanisms triggering hypergammaglobulinemia

Some autoimmune diseases and persistent infections are characterized by high levels of antibodies in the blood. But what are the causes of this hypergammaglobulinemia? A team headed by INRS's Professor Simona Stäger has successfully identified the mechanisms triggering the phenomenon.

12 Jul 2016

Researchers develop computer model for speed analysis of TB's complex life-cycle

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a serious global health problem accounting for 1.3 million worldwide deaths annually.

1 Jul 2016

Virus-like elements within human genome linked to development of lupus and Sjogren's syndrome

Researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery have uncovered a potential genetic trigger of systemic autoimmune disease.

28 Jun 2016

Stimulating STING pathway to provoke life-extending immune response shows promise in AML

A protein known as STING plays a crucial role in the immune system's ability to "sense" cancer by recognizing and responding to DNA from tumor cells. Injection of compounds that activate the STING pathway directly into solid tumors in mice has been shown in prior studies to result in very potent anti-tumor immune responses.

3 Jun 2016

CSL362 antibody targets, depletes pDCs and other cells implicated in SLE

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects multiple organ systems. Autoantibodies, which are produced by B cells, contribute to development of SLE.

6 May 2016

New mouse model to aid in development of antiviral compounds, vaccines against Zika virus

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine have developed one of the first mouse models for the study of Zika virus. The model will allow researchers to better understand how the virus causes disease and aid in the development of antiviral compounds and vaccines.

20 Apr 2016

Oxidized mitochondrial nucleoids released from neutrophils may contribute to SLE pathogenesis

Researchers at the Baylor Institute for Immunology Research have discovered that the neutrophils of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients release oxidized DNA from their mitochondria that can stimulate an unwanted immune response.

19 Apr 2016