Scientists may have discovered a new way of identifying and targeting hidden HIV viral reservoirs during treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART). These findings may have translational implications for improving the long-term care of HIV positive pe…
COVID-19: The virus and the vasculature
In severe cases of COVID-19, the infection can lead to obstruction of the blood vessels in the lung, heart and kidneys. Researchers have now shown that activated immune cells and blood platelets play a major role in these pathologies.
COVID-19: Immune system derails
Contrary to what has been generally assumed so far, a severe course of COVID-19 does not solely result in a strong immune reaction — rather, the immune response is caught in a continuous loop of activation and inhibition.
Move over Akita: Introducing ‘Kuma mutant’ mice for islet transplantation research
Scientists have used a gene editing technique to establish a novel mouse model of permanent neonatal diabetes — the immune-deficient Kuma mutant mice with a specific deletion in the Insulin2 (Ins2) gene. This model is expected to be useful for studyin…
The yin and yang of inflammation controlled by a single molecule
Researchers have now identified a protein called histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) as the orchestrator of the immune system’s inflammation response to infection. By using both specially cultured cells and small animal models, HDAC3 was found to be directly…
Gut microbes shape our antibodies before we are infected by pathogens
Because the microbiota is so complex, containing hundreds of different bacterial species, it is not known how the presence of microbes in the intestine shaped the antibodies that are present even before we are challenged by an infection. Researchers ha…
COVID-19 should be treated as an acute inflammatory disease, scientist suggests
A team of scientists conducted a comprehensive analysis of worldwide COVID-19 data to identify key strategies moving forward to develop effective therapeutics. The scientists suggest that COVID-19 should be treated as an acute inflammatory disease and …
How tumor cells evade the immune defense
Scientists are increasingly trying to use the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. A new study now shows the strategies tumor cells use to evade this attack. The method developed for this work contributes to a better understanding of the ”arms ra…
Tool could improve success in translating drugs from animal studies to humans
A new computational tool could help better determine which drugs should move from animal testing to humans. It could also sooner detect a reason why a drug might fail, guiding how a clinical trial should be set up.
Identification of a new mechanism in the immune system provides knowledge about diseases
A recently identified mechanism in the immune system reveals a previously unknown protein that could provide an opening to a better understanding of infections and autoimmune diseases.