Phagocytes News and Research

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Lung microbiome alterations and secondary-infections in lethal COVID-19

Researchers examined how an interplay of host and microbial factors weakened immunity leading to secondary infections in COVID-19-infected individuals.

22 Feb 2022

11 exceptional recipients of the 2021 Lupus Innovation Award announced

The Lupus Research Alliance proudly announced today 11 research grant recipients in the U.S. and around the world of the 2021 Lupus Innovation Award which will fund wide ranging areas from probing the development and progression of lupus to pointing to potential personalized therapies.

14 Dec 2021

Study shows immune profile heterogeneity amongst healthy adults

Researchers opted to use single-cell RNA-seq to observe single cells in detail as they encounter a specific antigen.

22 Oct 2021

Scientists describe SARS-CoV-2 uptake in tissue-resident human macrophages enhanced by virus-specific antibodies

Now, in a new news study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers have successfully induced similar chronicity associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in MISTRG6-hACE2 humanized mice.

29 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

Two-arm molecule can deplete cancer-protecting cells to promote immune responses against tumors

A two-arm molecule can effectively deplete cancer-protecting cells inside tumors, allowing the immune system to fight off tumors without becoming overactive. The finding, published online in Science Translational Medicine, could lead to new types of cancer immunotherapies.

11 Aug 2021

Metformin potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2-induced cytokine release in monocytes

An interesting new bioRxiv* preprint reports the suppression of monocyte glycolysis and cytokine production when exposed to the virus, following pretreatment with the commonly used drug, metformin.

6 Jun 2021

Antibody treatment reactivates the immune defense in patients with advanced-stage cancer

Researchers at the University of Turku, Finland, showed that the antibody treatment reactivates the immune defense in patients with advanced-stage cancer.

3 Jun 2021

Depleting SIRPα-deficient in macrophages activate tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells

In a study that will be published in Nature Communications on May 28, 2021, a research team led by Dr. Yuan Liu from Georgia State University reports that intratumoral SIRPα-deficient macrophages activate tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells to eliminate various syngeneic cancers under radiotherapy.

2 Jun 2021

Loss of gut epithelial barrier responsible for COVID-19-related MIS-C in children, suggests study

A new paper in the Journal of Clinical Investigation reports that this condition is due to damage to the gut, mediated by a decrease in the protein called zonulin, which is responsible for the integrity of the gut epithelial barrier. Reduced zonulin levels are found in several inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

28 May 2021

Brain-targeting drug delivery with nano-scaled apoptotic bodies

Scientists from Nanjing University and University of Macau have discovered nano-scaled apoptotic bodies (ABs) as a new brain-targeting drug carrier, bringing new promise for the Parkinson's Disease as well as other brain diseases.

7 May 2021

Scientists investigate signal necrotic cells that cue phagocytic cells to engulf the dying cell

Just as people keep their houses clean and clutter under control, a crew of cells in the body is in charge of clearing the waste the body generates, including dying cells. The housekeeping cells remove unwanted material by a process called phagocytosis, which literally means 'eating cells.' The housekeepers engulf and ingest the dying cells and break them down to effectively eliminate them.

7 May 2021

Too much salt affects the functioning of phagocytes

For many of us, adding salt to a meal is a perfectly normal thing to do. We don't really think about it. But actually, we should. As well as raising our blood pressure, too much salt can severely disrupt the energy balance in immune cells and stop them from working properly.

30 Apr 2021

Scientists reveal molecular mechanisms involved in eliminating unwanted body cells

Scientists at the Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) and colleagues in Japan have revealed molecular mechanisms involved in eliminating unwanted cells in the body.

26 Mar 2021

Neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in mice depend on Fc effector function

A new study reports the essential nature of Fc-mediated functionalities in determining the efficacy of such antibodies.

24 Mar 2021

Microbes could predict fatal outcomes in ventilated COVID-19 patients

The study "Microbial signatures in the lower airways of mechanically ventilated COVID19 patients associated with poor clinical outcome" is available as a preprint on the medRxiv* server, while the article undergoes peer review.

25 Feb 2021

Discovery of ‘Achilles heel’ in gut bacteria may lead to targeted therapies for Crohn’s disease

The discovery of an "Achilles heel" in a type of gut bacteria that causes intestinal inflammation in patients with Crohn's disease may lead to more targeted therapies for the difficult to treat disease, according to Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian investigators.

6 Feb 2021

Researchers find mechanism underlying plasticity in adult brains

Developing brains constantly sprout new neuronal connections called synapses as they learn and remember. Important connections — the ones that are repeatedly introduced, such as how to avoid danger — are nurtured and reinforced, while connections deemed unnecessary are pruned away.

24 Dec 2020

Immunonutrition may improve COVID-19 patients' recovery

Researchers duo Emma Derbyshire and Joanne Delange from the Nutritional Insight, Surrey, United Kingdom, explore the role of immunonutrition – nutrition that boosts or influences the immune system for those over 65 years of age in COVID-19. Their study titled, “COVID-19: is there a role for immunonutrition, particularly in the over 65s?,” was released in the latest issue of the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health.

26 Nov 2020

Study may lead to new therapies that accelerate removal of cellular debris from the brain

Microglia -- the brain's immune cells -- play a primary role in removing cellular debris from the brain. According to a recent study by a Nagoya University-led research team in Japan, another kind of brain cell, called astrocyte, is also involved in removing debris as a backup to microglia.

11 Nov 2020