A comprehensive review into what we know about COVID-19 and the way it functions suggests the virus has a unique infectious profile, which explains why it can be so hard to treat and why some people experience so-called ‘long-COVID’.
Why do some neurons degenerate and die in Alzheimer’s disease, but not others?
Researchers have uncovered molecular clues that help explain what makes some neurons more susceptible than others in Alzheimer’s disease. The scientists present evidence that neurons with high levels of the protein apolipoprotein E (apoE) are more sens…
Skin and immune cells coordinate defenses against assault
As the human body’s largest organ, the skin is responsible for protecting against a wide range of possible infections on all fleshy surfaces, from head to toe. So how exactly does the skin organize its defenses against such an array of threats?
Defective epithelial barriers linked to two billion chronic diseases
Humans are exposed to a variety of toxins and chemicals every day. According to the epithelial barrier hypothesis, exposure to many of these substances damages the epithelium, the thin layer of cells that covers the surface of our skin, lungs and intes…
Crohn’s disease patients have specific IgG antibodies to human bacterial flagellins
Last year, researchers used a mouse model that included immune-reactive T cells from patients with Crohn’s disease in a proof-of-principle demonstration that a flagellin-directed immunotherapy might provide similar benefits in patients. Now they have m…
Our immune systems blanket the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with antibodies
A previously underappreciated part of the body’s natural defense against SARS-CoV-2, called non-RBD-directed antibodies, actually plays a major role in combating the virus, according to a new study. That’s good news for scientists designing the next ge…
Microneedles are promising devices for painless drug delivery with minimal side effects
A recent study monitors progress in the development of microneedles for immunotherapy and discusses the challenges regarding their production. Researchers suggest using microneedles for immunotherapy due to the abundance of immune cells under the skin….
Tracking down the tiniest of forces: How T cells detect invaders
What happens on a molecular level, when our immune system detects antigens? Scientists have found out, how T cells exert tiny forces on antigens. Bonds between T cells and antigen presenting cells break, and this behavior tells the T cell whether or no…
Restricting growth, spread of head and neck cancers
Researchers have discovered a key molecule that allows cancer stem cells to bypass the body’s natural immune defenses, spurring the growth and spread of head and neck squamous cell cancers. Their study, conducted in mice, also demonstrates that inhibit…
A trait of the rare few whose bodies naturally control HIV: ‘trained’ immune cells
Scientists have discover that ‘elite controllers’ have myeloid dendritic cells that display characteristics of trained innate immune cells.