by Robin Marks, University of California, San Francisco Microscopy of a lung tumor biopsy. Credit: Lin Ma Tumor cells are notoriously good at evading the human immune system; they put up physical walls, wear disguises and handcuff the immune system with molecular tricks. Now, UC San Francisco researchers have developed a drug that overcomes some...
by University of Chicago Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Gut bacteria have a profound impact on health by aiding digestion, providing nutrients and metabolites, and working with the immune system to fend off pathogens. Some gut bacteria, however, have been implicated in progression of cancers of the gut and associated organs. A new study by researchers...
by Linköping University Graphical outline of the study. Peripheral blood was collected from patients with COVID-19 that needed hospitalization (N=46) and healthy controls (N=31). Clinical parameters were measured at enrollment, and the levels and effects on peripheral immune cells and neutralizing antibodies were assessed at enrollment, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 6-8 months. The phenotype...
by University of Copenhagen Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain One of the deadliest forms of cancer is biliary tract cancer. Only one in three patients diagnosed with the disease is operable. The rest must settle for life-sustaining treatment. The reason why this cancer is so deadly is that it is difficult to diagnose, and therefore, most...
SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE IMAGE: FOR INNATE IMMUNE SYSTEM ACTIVATION AGAINST HIV-1, SCRIPPS RESEARCH SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND THAT THE PROTEIN PQBP1’S RECOGNITION OF INCOMING HIV-1 PARTICLES (DEPICTED IN RED) IS REQUIRED FOR CGAS ACTIVATION, A PRODUCTION OF CGAMP (DEPICTED IN GREEN), IN HUMAN DENDRITIC CELLS. NUCLEI (DAPI) ARE DEPICTED IN BLUE. CREDIT: SCRIPPS RESEARCH LA JOLLA,...
UNIVERSITÉ DE GENÈVE IMAGE: MERIEM BEKLIZ, FIRST AUTHOR, WITH A PLAQUE-REDUCTION NEUTRALIZATION ASSAY USED TO DETERMINE THE NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY OF ANTIBODIES. CREDIT: HUG-UNIGE The current wave of COVID-19 highlights a particularly high risk of reinfection by the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. Why is this? A team from the Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases of the...
by Ekaterina Pesheva, Harvard Medical School New research shows thymus cells assume various identities to teach nascent T cells how to distinguish friend from foe. Credit: Daniel Michelson, Mathis/Benoist Lab, Harvard Medical School The human immune system is a nearly perfect defense mechanism. It protects the body from disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. It detects...
by Salk Institute Glucocorticoid hormone signal in regulatory T cells promotes hair follicle stem cell activation and new hair growth. Left: After hair loss, skin cells (blue) from a normal mouse can activate hair follicle stem cells (red). Right: Cells from mice without glucocorticoid receptors in their regulatory T cells cannot activate hair follicle stem...
Written by Alex Brewer, PharmD, MBA | Reviewed by Amy B. Gragnolati, PharmD, BCPS Published on January 5, 2022 Key takeaways: A weakened immune system can make it harder to fight infections. Some medications can weaken your immune system. These are generally called immunosuppressants, and they can treat many health conditions. Most vaccines are safe...
Diana Kwon The brain’s immune system includes a network of transport vessels (blue) and its own immune cells made in the bone marrow (green). Credit: Siling Du, Kipnis lab, Washington University in St. Louis The brain is the body’s sovereign, and receives protection in keeping with its high status. Its cells are long-lived and shelter...
