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.

Oral eosinophilic ulcers ‘a self-limiting, reactive condition’

A review of patients with oral eosinophilic ulcers suggests that the lesions should be considered a reactive, local condition rather than a CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorder.

8 Feb 2013

Liver gene found to regulate cholesterol and fat blood levels

Researchers have identified a microRNA liver gene, miR-27b, which regulates lipid (cholesterol or fat) levels in the blood. This regulator gene controls multiple genes involved in dyslipidemia—abnormal blood cholesterol levels that can contribute to heart disease.

7 Feb 2013

Glimmer of hope for imatinib-resistant GIST

The monoclonal antibody SR1 can significantly inhibit gastrointestinal stromal tumor cell growth, report researchers in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

7 Feb 2013

Boston College biologist to explore connection between peripheral neuropathy and HIV

Boston College biologist Tricia Burdo has been awarded a five-year, $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the role of the body's immune response in a debilitating form of nerve damage suffered by people living with HIV.

6 Feb 2013

Researchers pinpoint how vitamin D3 and omega-3 may boost immunity to help fight Alzheimer's

A team of academic researchers has pinpointed how vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids may enhance the immune system's ability to clear the brain of amyloid plaques, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

5 Feb 2013

Cloaked nanoparticles escape immune system surveillance to reach desired target

By cloaking nanoparticles in the membranes of white blood cells, scientists at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute may have found a way to prevent the body from recognizing and destroying them before they deliver their drug payloads. The group describes its "LeukoLike Vectors", or LLVs, in the January issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

4 Feb 2013

Study shows how placental circulation can influence malarial parasite behavior and infection

Malaria in pregnancy causes a range of adverse effects, including abortions, stillbirths, premature delivery and low infant birth weight. Many of these effects are thought to derive from a placental inflammatory response resulting from interaction of infected red blood cells with the placental tissue.

3 Feb 2013

Mount Sinai to initiate immunological therapy trial against chronic pulmonary sarcoidosis

Patients are currently being enrolled in the first clinical trial to investigate the efficacy of immunological therapy for chronic pulmonary sarcoidosis. The trial is being conducted by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

31 Jan 2013

Bone Medical announces initial findings from BN006 proof of concept RA study

Bone Medical Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of new medicines for musculoskeletal diseases, today announced initial findings from a proof of concept study of BN006, a treatment that it is developing for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) based on its Mozaic™ peptide discovery technology.

29 Jan 2013

HDL cholesterol key to fighting lymphoma

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol could provide a novel treatment target for patients with lymphoma, US scientists believe.

25 Jan 2013

Normalizing p62 protein levels in immune system cells could reduce infection in CF patients

New research suggests that lowering excessive levels of a protein in immune system cells could be a strategy to clear an infection that is deadly to patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).

23 Jan 2013

Neonatal chemokines altered in autistic spectrum patients

A study by scientists has found limited evidence to support a role for proinflammatory chemokines in the pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

3 Jan 2013

Uncharacterized TLR plays key role in Toxoplasma gondii response

A previously uncharacterized toll-like receptor appears to play a crucial role in the innate immune response to Toxoplasma gondii infection and may promote host resistance, potentially leading to anti-parasite vaccines, say US researchers.

28 Dec 2012

Scientists identify molecular mechanism central to development of osteoarthritis pain

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center, in collaboration with researchers at Northwestern University, have identified a molecular mechanism central to the development of osteoarthritis (OA) pain, a finding that could have major implications for future treatment of this often-debilitating condition.

28 Dec 2012

Immune-promoting drugs may control recurrent disease

Nearly half of the 700,000 cancer patients who undergo surgical removal of a primary tumor each year suffer a recurrence of their disease at some point, and many of those patients will eventually die from their disease.

28 Dec 2012

Cause of recurrent infections in MECP2 duplication syndrome identified

US study results show that the genetic abnormality underlying the pediatric condition methyl-CpG binding protein 2 duplication syndrome also causes immune dysfunction.

24 Dec 2012

Injecting LECT2 may protect against bacterial sepsis

Failure to launch an adequate immune response may be at the root of septic shock, according to a study published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine on December 17th.

18 Dec 2012

Study suggests that existing HIV drug could be a potential therapy for Staph infections

A new study by NYU School of Medicine researchers suggests that an existing HIV drug called maraviroc could be a potential therapy for Staphylococcus aureus, a notorious and deadly pathogen linked to hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations each year.

15 Dec 2012

Inflammatory marker targeted in ear infection

Systemic injection of an antibody against granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor inhibits middle-ear inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide in mice, study findings show.

3 Dec 2012

Topical simvastatin may be answer to nonhealing diabetic wounds

Topical simvastatin significantly accelerates wound healing in mice and may be a good treatment option for diabetic patients with nonhealing wounds, say researchers.

30 Nov 2012