Researchers have found that in the space of just a few weeks, numerous blood and immune cell types emerge from developing bone marrow, including key white blood cells that protect against bacteria. The first comprehensive analysis of how the blood…
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In the immune arsenal, antibodies offer best long-term hope against COVID
When it comes to long-lasting protection against COVID-19, antibodies are our biggest allies, a new Yale University study shows. Since the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the relative contributions of the different parts of our immune system arsenal—particularly those of…
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How ‘paralyzed’ immune cells can be reactivated against brain tumors
Brain tumor cells with a certain common mutation reprogram invading immune cells. This leads to the paralysis of the body’s immune defense against the tumor in the brain. Researchers from Heidelberg, Mannheim and Freiburg discovered this mechanism, and at the…
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Novel immune checkpoints have applications for cancer, autoimmune disease treatment
The immune system is a complex balancing act; if it overreacts or underreacts to foreign molecules, there can be serious health consequences. For cancer patients, tumor progression is often accompanied by immunosuppression, meaning their bodies can’t fight off pathogens the…
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Study reveals crucial details on skin-related side effects of cancer immune therapies
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which boost the immune system’s response against tumor cells, have transformed treatment for many advanced cancers, but short-term clinical trials and small observational studies have linked the medications with various side effects, most commonly involving the skin….
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Two studies support key role for immune system in shaping SARS-CoV-2 evolution
Two studies published in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens provide new evidence supporting an important role for the immune system in shaping the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These findings—and the novel technology behind them—improve understanding of…
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Turbocharging the killing power of immune cells against cancer
Creating “super soldiers” of specific white blood cells to boost an anti-tumor response has been shown in a series of elegant experiments by Princess Margaret researchers. Research led by Ph.D. candidate Helen Loo Yau, Post-doctoral fellow Dr. Emma Bell and…
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Mimicking a chronic immune response changes the brain
As March comes around, many people experience hay fever. As excessive immune responses go, most would admit that hay fever really isn’t that bad. At the other end of the spectrum are severely debilitating autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and…
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
The rapid advancement and widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer therapy purposes have revolutionized the way in which the disease is treated. As immunotherapy becomes a more viable treatment option for cancer patients, it is crucial that healthcare…
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Research reveals new insight into why breastfed babies have improved immune systems
Research led by the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has revealed new insight into the biological mechanisms of the long-term positive health effects of breastfeeding in preventing disorders of the immune system in later…
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