Macrophage News and Research

RSS

A macrophage is a type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills microorganisms, removes dead cells, and stimulates the action of other immune system cells.

Novel cell-based approach used to reverse age-related impairments in animal model

Elderly people are more prone to infectious diseases as the function of their immune system continuously declines with progression of age.

6 Jul 2020

Study reveals the role of glucocorticoid metabolism and GILZ regulation during aging

Why do we age? What exactly is happening in our bodies? And can we do anything about it? Mankind has sought answers to these questions since time immemorial.

1 Jul 2020

BMI should be assessed in management of COVID-19 patients

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in June 2020 reports that obesity is a risk factor of composite poor outcome of COVID-19 disease. On the other hand, COVID-19 patients with 'composite poor outcome' have higher BMI. Therefore, BMI should be assessed in the management of COVID-19 patients, and special attention should be given to patients with obesity.

1 Jul 2020

Researchers develop new coatings for implants to make them more compatible

New coatings on implants could help make them more compatible. Researchers at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have developed a new method of applying anti-inflammatory substances to implants in order to inhibit undesirable inflammatory reactions in the body.

30 Jun 2020

Pixatimod is active in lab studies against SARS-CoV-2

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) circulating the world has caused over 9.6 million cases and over 490,000 deaths as of June 26, 2020. With neither an effective vaccine nor therapeutic drug yet available, intensive and widespread research is ongoing to develop a pharmacological intervention that will halt the global pandemic.

25 Jun 2020

Study provides novel insights into how fat cells reduce lipid metabolism with age

Knowledge of how human fat tissue is affected by age has long been defined by numerous mouse-based studies.

25 Jun 2020

Platelets may be contributing to COVID-19

The current pandemic of COVID-19 is characterized mainly by severe acute respiratory distress of the lungs, but other organ dysfunctions are also being observed, including the heart and blood vessels. Now, a new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv* in June 2020 describes the abnormal activation of platelets in this disease and the link between this phenomenon and poor outcomes for COVID-19 patients.

24 Jun 2020

Discovery provides a potential target for infectious diseases immunotherapy

NIH investigators and colleagues have discovered that when the immune system first responds to infectious agents such as viruses or bacteria, a natural brake on the response prevents overactivation.

23 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 induces broad T cell response in recovering patients

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 shows that T cell responses in COVID-19 patients are broader and more robust in severe disease and are explicitly directed against spike, memory, and ORF3a proteins.

23 Jun 2020

Manipulating macrophages could be a viable strategy for treating cancer

Most traditional cancer therapies target either the tumor cells themselves or indiscriminately kill any rapidly dividing cell.

22 Jun 2020

How an ignored white blood cell may cause COVID-19 deaths

News-Medical speaks to Professor Lola Eniola-Adefeso about her research investigating how an ignored white blood cell may cause COVID-19 deaths.

19 Jun 2020

Repurposing immunosuppressants to manage COVID-19

It might seem paradoxical to suggest immunosuppression could play a role in managing COVID-19. The seemingly logical therapeutic option for this disease would be an antiviral.

18 Jun 2020

Researchers use cellular nanosponges to soak up SARS-CoV-2

Scientists are working overtime to find an effective treatment for COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

17 Jun 2020

New nanoparticle drug combination can help treat atherosclerosis

Physicochemical cargo-switching nanoparticles (CSNP) designed by KAIST can help significantly reduce cholesterol and macrophage foam cells in arteries, which are the two main triggers for atherosclerotic plaque and inflammation.

17 Jun 2020

Nanosponges could attack and neutralize SARS-COV-2 virus

Nanoparticles cloaked in human lung cell membranes and human immune cell membranes can attract and neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus in cell culture, causing the virus to lose its ability to hijack host cells and reproduce.

17 Jun 2020

Engineered natural killer cells show promise for treating a form of leukemia

Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and deleting a key gene, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have created natural killer cells -; a type of immune cell -; with measurably stronger activity against a form of leukemia, both in vivo and in vitro.

12 Jun 2020

Progression and severity of COVID-19 highly dependant on cytokine changes

A new review paper by the researchers from Spain, published in the journal Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews, demonstrates how changes in the levels of cytokines and other biomolecules are associated with the presence and more serious prognosis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

11 Jun 2020