Natural Killer Cells News and Research

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UCLA-led researchers improve method that was designed to kill HIV-infected cells

In a study using mice, a UCLA-led team of researchers have improved upon a method they developed in 2017 that was designed to kill HIV-infected cells.

12 Jan 2022

Exploring why children have milder COVID-19 infections compared to adults

A new study has revealed that an activated pre-exposure innate interferon response in airways together with significantly reduced systemic interferon-stimulated populations are associated with relatively milder severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in children.

23 Dec 2021

Determination of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination using T cell receptor repertoire

A new study published on the bioRxiv preprint server has hypothesized that T cell receptors (TCR) repertoire can measure the response to vaccines, as it would identify the TCR of clones that respond to the vaccination.

13 Dec 2021

Novel immunotherapy shows promise for children, young adults with recurrent AML

An immunotherapy harnessing the immune system's "natural killer" cells has proven effective in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in some adults whose cancers return.

12 Dec 2021

Scientists develop and characterize variant-specific vaccines against SARS-CoV-2

In a recent study conducted at Yale University, USA, scientists have investigated the immunogenicity of mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine candidates encoding the spike proteins of different severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants. The findings reveal that the vaccines induce robust immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 variants. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

6 Dec 2021

Simple quantitative framework to understand the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19

Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States developed a model to explain why severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections induce high inflammatory levels.

6 Dec 2021

Exposure to Chikungunya may offer partial cross-protection against Mayaro virus

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil suggests people previously infected by Chikungunya virus may develop partial immunity to Mayaro virus.

4 Dec 2021

Maternal-fetal interface yields intriguing clues to how it battles SARS-CoV-2

Scientists have hypothesized that the number of immune cells and the amount of cytokines produced in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women change in accordance with the timing of maternal infection in pregnancy. This study is available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

24 Nov 2021

Severe COVID-19 patients have significantly higher NK and T cell frequency

A new study published in the open-access journal Cells aimed to clarify the role of NK and T cell subsets in SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitalized COVID-19 patients to unravel their potential association with disease severity.

18 Nov 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infection inhibited by CCR2 signaling

A new study discusses the role of monocytes in protecting individuals from SARS-CoV-2.

15 Nov 2021

New findings about naturally acquired immunity may help improve existing malaria vaccines

When you have become immune to malaria after having contracted the disease, it seems that the body uses a more efficient protection than if you have been vaccinated against the deadly disease.

12 Nov 2021

New method of stem cell transplantation may eliminate the need for radiation or chemotherapy

Studying mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a method of stem cell transplantation that does not require radiation or chemotherapy.

10 Nov 2021

Study suggests less access to nature may contribute to higher COVID-19 case rates

By now, it's clear the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly unkind to communities of color and low-income populations.

11 Oct 2021

Critical function of IL-7 in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of COVID-19 patients

In this review, researchers summarized the therapeutic and pathogenic role of IL-7 in patients with COVID-19 and examined the promising role of IL-7 as a vaccine adjuvant.

7 Oct 2021

Researchers devise novel technique to count elusive circulating tumor cells

As tumors grow within an organ, they also release cells that enter the bloodstream. These cells can travel to other organs, seeding new tumors called metastases.

29 Sep 2021

Specially designed lipid nanoparticles overcome resistance to anti-tumor immunotherapy

A specially designed lipid nanoparticle could deliver immune-signaling molecules into liver macrophage cells to overcome resistance to anti-tumor immunotherapy.

18 Sep 2021

Scientists identify new approach to overcome resistance to cancer immunotherapy

Hokkaido University scientists and colleagues in Japan have found a way that could help some patients overcome resistance to immunotherapy treatment for cancer. The approach, proven in mice experiments, was reported in the Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer.

17 Sep 2021

Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies provide Fc receptor-independent SARS-CoV-2 protection in Hamsters

A study published in the journal mBio analyzes the capacity of the neutralizing MAb 2B04 to protect different antibody titers.

16 Sep 2021

Deep profiling of SARS-CoV-2 immune response amongst the mildly symptomatic

In a research paper recently uploaded to the medRxiv* preprint server by Capelle et al. (September 2nd, 2021), the immune response of mild and hospitalized COVID-19 patients is compared, finding that early T-cell response is a vital indicator of SARS-CoV-2 disease severity.

15 Sep 2021

A review of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for severe COVID-19

Researchers find that MSC treatment is highly tolerated and effective in reducing lung damage in COVID-19 patients and improving their chances of recovery.

13 Sep 2021