Immune System News and Research

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Study reveals genetic factors linked to COVID-19 susceptibility in people with Down syndrome

A study reveals the genetic factors that may expose or protect people with Down syndrome from SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the prognosis of COVID-19.

9 Feb 2021

Components of Neanderthals' gut microbiota are essential for human health

Neanderthals' gut microbiota already included some beneficial micro-organisms that are also found in our own intestine.

5 Feb 2021

Study suggests the need to characterize patient-specific responses to respiratory syncytial virus

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that while most individuals responded to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) natural reinfection with a typical sustained antibody response associated with protection, a few individuals surprisingly responded atypically, not being able to sustain the antibody response, which declined to levels that made the individuals susceptible to RSV reinfection.

5 Feb 2021

AI analyzes tissue scans to identify cancer patients at risk of hyperprogressive disease

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University, using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze simple tissue scans, say they have discovered biomarkers that could tell doctors which lung cancer patients might actually get worse from immunotherapy.

5 Feb 2021

Fecal microbiota transplant helps cancer patients respond to immunotherapy

For patients with cancers that do not respond to immunotherapy drugs, adjusting the composition of microorganisms in the intestines--known as the gut microbiome--through the use of a stool, or fecal, transplants may help some of these individuals respond to the immunotherapy drugs, a new study suggests.

From National Cancer Institute (NCI) 5 Feb 2021

Vaccine based on virus-like particle could generate antibodies to prevent malaria

An inexpensive, long-lasting and easy-to-administer vaccine against malaria could be a game-changer for millions of people living in countries where the mosquito-borne disease is endemic.

5 Feb 2021

New technique to improve genome editing technology

A group of scientists from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), in association with collaborators from Belgium, has taken a step in the advancement of genome editing technologies.

3 Feb 2021

Advances in cancer research can expand effectiveness of immunotherapy

Scientists are hoping advances in cancer research could lead to a day when a patient's own immune system could be used to fight and destroy a wide range of tumors.

3 Feb 2021

Hyperactive RANK protein could trigger autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases, in which the body's own immune system attacks healthy tissue, can be life-threatening and can impact all organs.

3 Feb 2021

Breast cancer-on-a-chip for rapid screening of immunotherapeutic drugs

There are many mechanisms by which the body responds to foreign invaders. One of these involves the T-cells of the immune system, which have a number of different proteins on their surface called "checkpoint proteins."

3 Feb 2021

Noncoding RNA plays key role in sepsis, regulates inflammatory gene expression

Sepsis can result when the body’s immune response to a specific infection gets out of control.

From University of California Santa Cruz 2 Feb 2021

Severe genetic immunodeficiency reversed by a rare DNA change

Researchers have revealed how a rare DNA change rebalanced the immune system of patients with a life-threatening genetic immunodeficiency.

2 Feb 2021

Yale scientists discover novel metabolic gatekeeper mechanism for leukemia

In a new study led by Yale Cancer Center, researchers have discovered a novel metabolic gatekeeper mechanism for leukemia. This mechanism depends on a molecule called PON2, which could lead to a new treatment for the disease. The findings were published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

2 Feb 2021