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Exposure to e-cigarette flavors can cause inflammation to white blood cells, research finds

Sugar and spice are not so nice, at least when it comes to vaping or inhalation. Exposure to e-cigarette flavoring chemicals and liquids can cause significant inflammation to monocytes, a type of white blood cell -- and many flavoring compounds are also toxic, with cinnamon, vanilla and buttery flavors among the worst.

30 Jan 2018

Fast food triggers the immune system making it hyperactive

The immune system has been shown to react to fast foods containing excess salt and calories find researchers. This activation of the immune system to fast foods is similar to its reaction to bacterial infections they add.

16 Jan 2018

Scientists describe groundbreaking training effect on the innate immune system

"Training" of precursors of white blood cells leads to a sustained positive response of the hematopoietic system. This effect could help accelerate the formation of new white blood cells, which are vitally needed during chemotherapy, a process that can slow down hematopoiesis.

15 Jan 2018

Unhealthy diet makes the body's defenses more aggressive in the long term

The immune system reacts similarly to a high fat and high-calorie diet as to a bacterial infection. This is shown by a recent study led by the University of Bonn.

11 Jan 2018

Researchers develop novel organ-on-a-chip device that models atherosclerosis

When studying diseases or testing potential drug therapies, researchers usually turn to cultured cells on Petri dishes or experiments with lab animals, but recently, researchers have been developing a different approach: small, organ-on-a-chip devices that mimic the functions of human organs, serving as potentially cheaper and more effective tools.

2 Jan 2018

Researchers suggest role for MKL1 protein in development of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including the two conditions ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, results in long-term inflammation of the gut and is associated with dysregulation of the immune system.

13 Dec 2017

Chemical found in marijuana could help HIV patients maintain their mental function

A chemical found in marijuana, known as tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, has been found to potentially slow the process in which mental decline can occur in up to 50 percent of HIV patients, says a new Michigan State University study.

12 Dec 2017

Malaria parasite employs active strategy to deceive the immune system

Global efforts to eradicate malaria are crucially dependent on scientists' ability to outsmart the malaria parasite. And Plasmodium falciparum is notoriously clever: It is quick to develop resistance against medications and has such a complex life cycle that blocking it effectively with a vaccine has thus far proved elusive.

7 Dec 2017

Immune system plays key role in amount of osteoarthritic pain and progression

The immune system plays a pivotal role in the amount of pain and disease progression experienced by patients with osteoarthritis (OA), McMaster University researchers have found.

27 Nov 2017

New research reveals possible therapeutic target for controlling inflammation in the brain

New research published online in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology showed for the first time that mature monocytes (a specific type of white blood cell) express the CXCR7 receptor on their surface.

3 Nov 2017

Researchers identify natural protective factor against chronic inflammation in diabetes patients

In type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammation drives cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among people with the condition. Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center now have identified an unexpected natural protective factor that works against this inflammation.

20 Sep 2017

MGH researchers identify potential strategy for improving efficacy of angiogenesis inhibitors

A Massachusetts General Hospital research team has identified a potential strategy for improving the efficacy of angiogenesis inhibitors, drugs that help fight cancer by blocking the formation of new blood vessels.

13 Sep 2017

Biodegradable nanoparticle injected after spinal cord injury limits damage

After a spinal cord injury, a significant amount of secondary nerve damage is caused by inflammation and internal scarring that inhibits the ability of the nervous system to repair itself.

5 Sep 2017

Study reveals etosis phenomenon in human blood monocytes

A recent study published online in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology found the first clear demonstration of etosis in human blood monocytes, a type of immune cell.

1 Sep 2017

Experimental drug isolated from tick saliva may hold promise for reducing HIV-linked heart disease risk

Scientists may have found a clue to why people living with HIV have double the likelihood of developing heart disease.

30 Aug 2017

Zika suppresses immune system during pregnancy to harm baby, report researchers

Scientists from the University of Southern California (USC) have discovered that the Zika virus works by suppressing a pregnant woman’s immune system so that the virus can spread and increase the chance of harming an unborn baby.

22 Aug 2017

Altered secretion behavior of fatty liver can lead to damage of other organs

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is becoming more and more common. Approximately every third adult in the industrialized countries has a morbidly fatty liver.

18 Aug 2017

Study offers novel insights into how genetic variants play key role in human immune system

It is widely recognized that people respond differently to infections. This can partially be explained by genetics, shows a new study published today in Nature Communications by an international collaboration of researchers from Germany and the United States.

16 Aug 2017

Researchers shed new light on MS relapse during upper respiratory infections

For most of us, the flu is just the flu. We suffer through it for several days, and eventually bounce back. But for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases, the flu can trigger a cascade of immune responses that result in a full-blown relapse of the disease.

8 Aug 2017

DKFZ scientists reveal how cancer cells suppress immune system to spread and multiply

The degenerated cells cause an inflammatory reaction and influence other blood cells with it so much, that the immune system is suppressed.

28 Jul 2017