In the fight against cancer or chronic infections, the immune system must be active over long periods of time. However, in the long run, the immune defense system often becomes exhausted. Scientists have now found initial evidence in mice that skeletal…
Scientists uncover immune cells that may lower airway allergy and asthma risk
Scientists offer a clue to why non-allergic people don’t have a strong reaction to house dust mites. They’ve uncovered a previously unknown subset of T cells that may control allergic immune reactions and asthma from ever developing in response to hous…
Novel mechanism triggers a cellular immune response
Researchers present comprehensive evidence that supports a novel trigger for a cell-mediated response and propose a mechanism for its action.
Cytokine implicated in HLH treatment resistance
Research sheds light on cytokine storm syndromes and how ruxolitinib may benefit patients with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
A protein that helps to fight viruses can also block lung damage repair
Researchers have found that a protein which is initially helpful in the body’s immune response to a virus, can later interfere with the repair of lung tissue. The work highlights the need for careful consideration regarding the use of this protein to t…
Brain cells can harbor and spread HIV virus to the body
Researchers have found that astrocytes, a type of brain cell can harbor HIV and then spread the virus to immune cells that traffic out of the brain and into other organs. HIV moved from the brain via this route even when the virus was suppressed by com…
Putting ‘super’ in natural killer cells
Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and deleting a key gene, researchers have created natural killer cells — a type of immune cell — with measurably stronger activity against a form of leukemia, both in vivo and in vitro.
How targeting killer T cells in the lungs could lead to immunity against respiratory viruses
A significant site of damage during COVID-19 infection is the lungs. Understanding how the lungs’ immune cells are responding to viral infections could help scientists develop a vaccine. Now, a team of researchers has discovered that the cells responsi…
How rod-shaped particles might distract an out-of-control COVID immune response
A long-ignored white blood cell may be central to the immune system overreaction that is the most common cause of death for COVID-19 patients — and researchers found that rod-shaped particles can take them out of circulation.
Immunodominant epitopes identified for designing peptide-based vaccine against SARS-CoV-2
Researchers have identified a set of potential immunodominant epitopes from the SARS-CoV-2 proteome. These epitopes are capable of generating both antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses. The findings of this work may thus contribute to developing…