Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

Report shows alarming measles resurgence in Europe and US

A recent report shows cases of measles across the World Health Organization's European Region, which includes the UK, are the highest they've been for more than 25 years. At the same time, large outbreaks of measles in the US have led to the first measles deaths there since 2015.

26 Mar 2025

Study reveals distinct infection strategies of Zika and dengue viruses

Zika virus and dengue virus are very close relatives. Both are mosquito-borne flaviviruses, and both specialize in infecting a host's dendritic cells.

25 Mar 2025

C. diff uses toxic compound to gain competitive advantage in the gut

The pathogen C. diff - the most common cause of health care-associated infectious diarrhea - can use a compound that kills the human gut's resident microbes to survive and grow, giving it a competitive advantage in the infected gut.

25 Mar 2025

High-salt diet induces depression-like symptoms in mice

A new study published in The Journal of Immunology found that a high-salt diet (HSD) induces depression-like symptoms in mice by driving the production of a protein called IL-17A.

25 Mar 2025

Research identifies pressure-sensing protein behind gut motility

After every meal, the intestines perform an action called peristalsis - moving food through their hollow interiors with coordinated contractions and relaxations of the smooth muscle.

25 Mar 2025

Researchers develop tool to enhance NK cells against cancer

A team of researchers from the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the Pompeu Fabra University has developed a new tool that allows modifying these NK cells to make them immune to the tumor’s defense mechanism.

24 Mar 2025

Study reveals key role of Treg cells in preventing autoimmune responses

During infections, the immune system needs to distinguish foreign antigens that are expressed by invading bacteria and viruses from self-antigens that are expressed by cells of the body.

22 Mar 2025

Mount Sinai-led research uncovers mechanisms behind Crohn's disease inflammation

A research team led by Mount Sinai has uncovered mechanisms of abnormal immune cell function that may lead to Crohn's disease, according to findings published in Science Immunology on March 21.

22 Mar 2025

Targeting brain’s waste removal system may help combat cognitive decline

As aging bodies decline, the brain loses the ability to cleanse itself of waste, a scenario that scientists think could be contributing to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, among others.

21 Mar 2025

Drug-resistant bacteria evolve to weaponize an antimicrobial genetic tool

A drug-resistant type of bacteria that has adapted to health care settings evolved in the past several years to weaponize an antimicrobial genetic tool, eliminating its cousins and replacing them as the dominate strain.

21 Mar 2025

High-fat diet impairs neutrophil function in obesity

A new study in The Journal of Immunology reveals how a high-fat diet may impair the immune system's ability to respond to infection by impacting the function of neutrophils, one of the first immune cells to respond to bacteria or viruses.

20 Mar 2025

Targeted inhibition of a 'signal jammer' protein may improve tumor response to immunotherapy

Targeted inhibition of a "signal jammer" protein may improve how tumors respond to immunotherapy. Published today in Nature, a new study demonstrates how some cancer cells use the protein voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2) like a signal jammer to prevent the body's anticancer systems from communicating with the immune system.

19 Mar 2025

Study reveals how B cells safeguard high-affinity antibodies

A vaccine's ability to generate long-lasting, high-affinity antibodies hinges on a delicate balance. Upon exposure to a vaccine or pathogen, B cells scramble to refine their defenses, rapidly mutating in hopes of generating the most effective antibodies.

19 Mar 2025

Research findings solve the paradox of how the immune system balances speed and precision

Germinal centers are high-speed evolution machines. Tiny clusters in the lymph nodes, germinal centers refine antibodies through mutation and expansion until they produce high-affinity B cells adapted to keep different pathogens in check.

19 Mar 2025

Testing a novel approach to restore normal heart function in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 (DM1) is the most common adult-onset form of muscular dystrophy and a condition that severely affects multiple organs including skeletal muscle, heart, brain and the gastrointestinal tract.

18 Mar 2025

Coalition of experts reaffirms vaccines as essential for public health

In response to growing concerns over vaccine misinformation, declining public trust in science, and recent outbreaks of preventable diseases, a coalition of 34 scientific and medical organizations, led by the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) and the American College of Physicians (ACP), has issued a unified statement emphasizing the critical role of vaccinations in public health.

18 Mar 2025

Blood-brain barrier dysfunction and inflammation linked to Down syndrome Regression Disorder

A new research study led by Jonathan D. Santoro, MD, Director of the Neuroimmunology Program at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, shows evidence of dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier and inflammation in the central nervous system in individuals with Down syndrome Regression Disorder (DSRD).

14 Mar 2025