StemCell Therapy

This article was originally published here

Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2021 Nov 2:102094. doi: 10.1016/j.pupt.2021.102094. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease characterized by increased pulmonary artery pressure which if left untreated, can lead to poor quality of life and ultimately death. It is a group of conditions and includes idiopathic PAH, familial/hereditary PAH and associated PAH. The condition has been studied for many years and its association with the immune system and in particular autoimmunity has been investigated. The mechanisms for the pathobiology of PAH are unclear although research has highlighted the role of adaptive and innate immune systems in its development. Diagnostics and therapeutic approaches range from cytokine treatments to the use of immunomodulating drugs, although there is still scope for improvements in the field. This article discusses the mechanisms linked to PAH, its association with other conditions and recent therapeutic interventions.

PMID:34740751 | DOI:10.1016/j.pupt.2021.102094

Originally posted here:
The roles of immune system and autoimmunity in pulmonary arterial hypertension: A Review - DocWire News

When the debilitating effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) come on, it tends to happen in the same joints that have previously been stiff, swollen, or in pain before and that remains the case even if there's a long time between each flare-up.

According to new research conducted on mice, this could be because our immune system keeps a record of these past afflictions, creating a personalized disease pattern in each individual. Understanding more about how and why this happens could open up new opportunities for treating the disorder.

This latest study zooms in on the T cells in mice's bodies, white blood cells that are key to the immune system. In particular, the T cells in the synovium the tissue lining the inside of the capsule around each joint appear to hold a memory of previous RA problems.

"Overwhelmingly, flares occur in a previously involved joint," says immunologist Peter Nigrovicfrom Boston Children's Hospital. "Something in that joint seems to remember, 'this is the joint that flared before'."

"We showed that these T cells anchor themselves in the joints and stick around indefinitely after the flare is over, waiting for another trigger. If you delete these cells, arthritis flares stop."

This was demonstrated through two mouse models using chemical triggers to cause joint inflammation and one mouse model using a genetic trigger to generate the same effect: The researchers removed a protein that blocked the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1.

These triggers caused T cells to rally other cells to the immunity cause, leading to arthritis flare-ups in specific joints in the mice. When these T cells were taken out, additional inflammation was prevented. These T cells don't move between joints and take up "long-term residency" where they are, the researchers say, ready to be reactivated again.

The approach taken here was actually inspired by skin studies. T cells with a form of memory are known to reside in the skin, leading to repeating patterns in skin problems such as psoriasis. It also happens with reactions to nickel in jewelry or wristwatches.

"A person reacting to nickel through a belt buckle may also develop a rash on their wrist, where they wore a nickel-containing watch as a child," says Nigrovic.

The team thinks that other types of autoimmune arthritis could work in the same way, which could lead to better treatments and approaches to these issues. The next step is to confirm that the same process happens in humans and find out ways to target it.

It's possible that other mechanisms are also playing a part in this RA memory retention, the researchers say it could be that T cells are the main cause in some cases but not others. That's something that further studies in the future should be able to analyze.

With millions of people affected by rheumatoid arthritis across the world, any kind of alleviation of pain or management of symptoms is going to be welcome. The good news is that scientists are constantly discovering more about how the disorder operates.

"Right now, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has to continue lifelong," says Nigrovic. "Although we can successfully suppress disease activity in many patients, there is no cure. We think our findings may open up new therapeutic avenues."

The research has been published in Cell Reports.

The rest is here:
Thanks to Mice, We May Know Why Arthritis Keeps Flaring Up in The Same Joints - ScienceAlert

Researchers found that Covid-19 might cause the immune system to react less strongly than expected to bacterial or other viral infections following recovery from COVID-19, but this possibility will require further clinical investigation.

Covid 19 can adversely impact the immune system

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich researchers say that COVID-19 reduces the numbers and functional competence of certain types of immune cells in the blood.

This could affect responses to secondary infections. The findings were published in the journal PLOS Pathogens.

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus causes moderate to severe disease in 3-10 per cent of those infected. In such cases, the immune system overreacts to the virus, triggering an aberrant innate immune response that is characterized by systemic inflammation, intravascular blood clotting and damage to the cardiovascular system.

A team led by immunology professor Anne Krug at LMU's Biomedical Center (BMC), which included many researchers based at the BMC and the LMU Medical Center, has carried out a comprehensive study of this phenomenon and uncovered hitherto unknown effects of the virus on the immune system.

In the journal PLOS Pathogens, they report that, following infection with SARS-CoV-2, the numbers of immune cells called dendritic cells in the circulation decline, while the functionality of the remaining fraction is impaired.

The authors believe that this could make patients more susceptible to secondary infections during, and immediately after recovery from a bout of COVID-19.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are responsible for initiating immune responses against invasive pathogens. They do so by activating helper T cells, which in turn stimulate B cells to secrete antibodies directed against the invader. Krug and her colleagues set out to determine the effects of moderate to severe coronavirus infection on this process. They analyzed blood samples obtained from 65 COVID-19 patients who had been treated at the LMU Medical Center.

They found that there were fewer DCs in these samples than in the blood of healthy controls. Furthermore, DCs isolated from the blood of patients showed a reduced ability to activate T cells.

"We had actually expected that DCs isolated from patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 would activate T cells more potently than DCs obtained from healthy donors," says Krug.

"However, we discovered that, in the course of the disease, the proteins present on the surface of the DCs in patients' blood were altered in a way that made them more likely to inhibit T cell responses." In spite of this, by 15 days after diagnosis 90 per cent of these patients had generated antibodies directed against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, and many of them had also activated a T cell response. - these responses are the hallmarks of a robust immune reaction against the virus. "So, the drop in the numbers and reduced functionality of DCs does not seem to have a negative impact on the immune response to the coronavirus itself," Krug says.

However, she is convinced that the reduced number and altered function of DCs is significant. It is conceivable that this might cause the immune system to react less strongly than expected to bacterial or other viral infections following recovery from COVID-19, but this possibility will require further clinical investigation.

What might account for the depletion of DCs in the blood and the decrease in their capacity to stimulate T cells? - Krug has several hypotheses to offer. It could in fact represent an appropriate regulatory process, she suggests. COVID-19 is often associated with vigorous inflammation reactions - so the phenomenon might be part of an attempt to downregulate inflammatory processes.

Dendritic cells might migrate from the blood into inflamed tissues, such as the lung, which could explain the fall in the numbers of DCs in the circulation. "However, we also found that the regeneration of dendritic cells is delayed," Krug points out.

The authors of the study believe that this phenomenon could weaken the ability of patients to mount effective immune responses to other pathogens during, and in the immediate aftermath of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection. The team will now explore this issue further in an effort to determine whether the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on DCs play a role in long-term COVID.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Research Explores How Covid-19 Alters The Immune System - NDTV Doctor

CLEVELAND Weve heard many questions come up in the last several months about natural immunity and whether its enough to protect those who have it from COVID-19, in lieu of a vaccine.

The topic came up last month at the Ohio Statehouse, where some lawmakers tried to get natural immunity added as an exemption to vaccine mandates.

Dr. Mark Cameron, a disease immunologist at Case Western Reserve University, spoke with News 5 on Friday to answer questions about natural immunity, vaccine-mediated immunity and what all of this means for individuals and their physicians.

Cameron said the number of new COVID-19 daily cases in Ohio has been coming down for a while.

We're winning the skirmishes, I would say, against this virus at the moment. But are we winning the war ultimately? Cameron said, noting that flu season coming up poses additional complications.

He started with some definitions of phrases weve all heard thrown around.

Natural immunity refers to being infected with COVID-19 and going through the disease process and clearing the virus, gaining a level of immunity over it, Cameron said. Also in the short term, we don't know how long with COVID-19, being immune to reinfection for a certain length of time.

A natural infection and gaining immunity to COVID-19 by having it before certainly provides your immune system with enough instruction, enough education to avoid reinfection with COVID-19 again, he added.

All of this is different from (but works the same as) vaccine-mediated immunity, where you gain that immunity through the shot, through the vaccine.

Cameron said there is a similar mechanism for your body between natural immunity and immunity gained by the vaccine, even though youre getting it a different way.

This is a means of preventing reinfection through neutralizing antibody levels to the spike protein, and that blocks, as long as they're present and you know, plentiful enough, that blocks the virus from getting back into your cells and making you sick, Cameron said.

The standard test by which to check levels of someones antibodies to anything (a viral infection, a vaccine, etc.) is to do a titer check, where they actually test levels of antibodies against a given infectious agent.

With COVID-19, Cameron said, since there could be a natural infection from other types of coronaviruses, those antibody tests may not be entirely clear.

Even if we can be very specific to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, we don't yet know what the particular levels are required to be successful in blocking it in the future, Cameron said. It varies very greatly between individuals, and it also varies over time as we are coming fully to grip now in this idea of waning immunity.

Waning immunity, Cameron cautioned, doesnt mean your immune system cant reboot and help you recover from reinfection by COVID-19. But he said COVID-19 is very good at getting in and getting ahead of our immune system and infecting us, so we need high levels of neutralizing antibodies so that the virus barely gets a chance to enter our cells.

OK so there are a lot of questions to which we still dont have answers. Such as, if someone has already had COVID-19, whats the long-term risk of getting it again? Or, if theyre vaccinated and get a breakthrough case, can we say if their immune system responded to the vaccine in the first place?

However we gain immunity to COVID-19, our immunity drops over time. That really is dependent on that neutralizing antibody level and whether we got COVID-19, whether we had the full vaccine regimen, whether we had both conditions, we will need a boost as well over time, Cameron said.

He emphasized it is hard to come up with a common piece of advice that covers everyone.

I certainly understand those concerns and really that comes down to yourself and your physician, Cameron said. There may be very good reason, you know, in consulting with your doctor why you wouldn't get a boost now or you wouldn't get the vaccine right now if you indeed didn't have it, you know, in the past. And that could be because you had COVID-19 very recently. It could be that you're sick with another infectious disease and your immune system is already activated. Or it can be the opposite where somebody is immunosuppressed or they are on cancer treatments and other type of therapies where your immune system is essentially kicked when it's down.

All of these, he said, are important considerations to take up with ones doctor. However, he was clear that the overall science supports getting a vaccine even if you have natural immunity from COVID-19 already.

Natural infection by COVID is is certainly not a safe way to gain immunity to this virus. And really, I would say that risking reinfection isn't either, he said.

He added, We are more prepared than ever to clear this infection or at least stop it from hurting and killing us like it has in the past.

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Natural vs. vaccine immunity and what a disease immunologist says about the science - News 5 Cleveland

Vaccines work differently for different people based on their age group. Here we have an immunologist to talk about why vaccines for kids and adults are different.

Written by Satata Karmakar | Published : November 4, 2021 11:19 AM IST

Human beings are born pretty helpless, with a lot of developing to do. And just as you must learn such skills as how to walk, so must your immune system learn to defend against infections. As time passes, your immune system matures through different stages, much the way you advanced from crawling to standing, walking, and running. This process is one of the reasons scientists study the immune response to a vaccine in different age groups, and why, for example, the COVID-19 vaccines need to be tested separately in children ages 5-11 and those 12-16.

Doctors want to use the vaccine dose that provides the best protection with the fewest side effects. And that's going to depend on how the immune system is working based on how developed it is something you can't really tell from the outside. I'm an immunologist, and here's the way I explain to my pediatric and adult patients how vaccines work in people of all different ages.

The immune maturing process starts shortly after birth. When you're born, your main immune protection comes via antibodies your mother shared through the placenta and breast milk. They provide what's called passive immunity.

Newborns' adaptive immune system the part of your immune system that will make your own antibodies isn't really up and running yet. The process gets started right away, but it can take years for the adaptive immune system to reach full maturity.

Luckily you're also born with what's called the innate immune system and it lasts throughout your life. It doesn't need to learn in order to fight off infections and promote health as the adaptive immune system does. Without the innate immune system, people would get sick a lot faster and more often.

The innate immune system starts with your skin and mucous membranes. Should any germs get past those physical barriers, it has enzymes just waiting to break down foreign organisms. Beyond that, there are specialized cells looking for anything that is not you in order to kill intruders, while other cells called phagocytes gobble up invaders. So the innate immune system is your body's first responder. It buys you a bit of time. Then your adaptive immune system comes in and joins the fight.

When you become immunized via a vaccine or infection, your adaptive immune system starts actively making antibodies of your own. They're proteins that act like suction cups and stick to viruses or bacteria to help the body get rid of the germs faster and prevent the infection from spreading. Antibodies are specialized to recognize and take down a particular intruder. The adaptive immune system can learn a new infection or recall one that it has not seen in a long time.

In the same way, an infant will learn to walk even if you don't secure the stairways and pool areas for them, your immune system can learn to squelch an invading virus without a vaccine but the chance of injury is much greater.

Vaccines work by triggering the creation of antibodies that will recognize a specific germ and work to fight it off in a safer manner than getting the infection for the first time without it.

How well a vaccine works is a combination of how many antibodies you produce in response to it, how effective they are, and the safety of the vaccine.

When researchers work to fine-tune the dosage of a vaccine for different age groups, they need to be aware of what parts of the immune system are online and what parts aren't fully active in people at each developmental stage.

This is part of the reason some vaccines such as for COVID-19 get tested and approved on different schedules for adults, teens, kids, and babies.

A number of vaccines for infants are given as a series meaning they get the same kind of shot several times over the course of a few months. A baby's adaptive immune system is prone to being forgetful or not listening at this age the same way a baby falters as it tries to stand and walk.

With each exposure, every aspect of the immune system gets stronger and better at defending against the would-be infection.

After 4 years of age and through younger adult life, your immune system tends to be more responsive and less prone to forgetting. It's not a coincidence that this is when people tend to gain most of their allergies.

For the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine, researchers found that kids ages 5 to 11 had a similar immune and safety response at one-third the dose used for those ages 12 and up.

Scientists tend to start with patients between ages 18 and 55 years old when studying vaccines. Their adult immune systems have matured and they can be counted on to reliably report any adverse reactions.

Seeing what happens in the adult age group also helps physicians predict what might occur when a vaccine is administered to others and be on the lookout for these side effects in the younger age groups.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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Excerpt from:
COVID-19 Vaccines For Kids And Adults: How Your Immune System Changes As You Mature, Immunologist Explains - TheHealthSite

SINGAPORE - Individuals vaccinated against Covid-19 but who still caught the virus showed an "excellent boost" intheir immune response, a study by local researchers has found.

The findings are based on researchers checking the antibody levels of 150 people from Singapore who had breakthrough infections.

Dr Barnaby Young of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) told The Straits Times the individuals' immune memory had kicked in within a few days of being infected.

This meant they showed a strong immune response to the virus, said Dr Young, head of the Singapore Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Network at NCID.

All 150, who were recruited in May this year, had mild Covid-19 disease.

The study, which is ongoing, is being conducted by NCID, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's Infectious Diseases Labs, and Duke-NUS Medical School.

Further studies will be conducted to look at their T-cell response as well, he added.

The immune response is shaped by both the level of neutralising antibodies, which bind with the virus and prevent it from infecting one's cells, and T-cells, which helps to clear infected cells.

Dr Young explained that having immune memory means the immune system is able to recall the antigens, which are molecules on the surfaces of virus, that it was previously exposed to.

With immune memory, the body might rapidly produce antibodies to stimulate a stronger immune response when the same virus or pathogen is encountered again.

"While the neutralising antibodies may bind to the wild-typevirus, the immune boost can help to neutralise the Delta variant, as the two are not drastically different," said Dr Young, who led the study.

Some of the findings have been published in a pre-print report, which has yet to be peer-reviewed.

"We expect the antibodies to help protect against infection for current circulating variantsand probably future unknown ones, too, though this would depend on how dramatically it changes from Delta," he added.

People waiting at the Covid-19 vaccination centre at Tanjong Pagar Community Club on Oct 12, 2021. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Further studies will be needed to determine how quickly these antibodies will wane later on, and whether the level of antibodies will be strong enough to protect against future reinfections, said Dr Young.

The immune boost does not necessarily mean breakthrough infections will not occur again.

Professor Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said having high antibody levels may not always correlate with greater protection against infection.

"In fact, many individuals who were doubly vaccinated had high titres of antibodies yet developed symptomatic Covid-19 infection. The immune response is actually a lot more than just antibody levels," he added.

A titre is a measure of concentration.

Aside from the T-cell response, the immune response also comprises the innate immune response, which is the body's first line of defence against all antigens.

Antibodies can protect against most infections, such as hepatitis B and measles.

But "not so good" antibodies, which may be produced following vaccinations against the respiratory syncytial virus and possibly dengue, could lead to severe infections, he noted.

As for Covid-19, it is unclear whether those who had breakthrough infections would be protected against reinfection, given that current vaccines do not protect against infection very well, said Prof Tambyah.

In the best-case scenario, with a high vaccination rate and as more of the population is infected with Covid-19, the risk of severe disease will be low, said Prof Tambyah.

A previous Duke-NUS study done with NCID on survivors of the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or Sars,showed that they had a powerful antibody boost against a range of beta-coronaviruses when they were given a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Natural infection and vaccination may provide long-lasting immunity, noted Prof Tambyah.

He added that some scientists believe Covid-19 booster jabs will be needed to protect against reinfection, like with hepatitis B, which requires three jabs.

Associate Professor Hsu Li Yang said certain vaccines require two or more doses to repeatedly trigger immunological memory through rapid production of antibodies -for instance, tetanus shots and the hepatitis B vaccine, as well as the vaccines protecting against Covid-19.

Even for single-dose inactivated vaccines, such as those for influenza, a second dose (or infection) will also boost antibody levels, noted Prof Hsu, who is vice-dean of global healthand infectious diseases programme leader at the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

"Infection following shortly after vaccination, or vice versa, serves as an antigen challenge to the immune system, triggering a stronger response than if there were no prior exposure to the vaccine or infection," he said.

Read more from the original source:
Vaccinated individuals infected with Covid-19 showed immune response boost: S'pore study - The Straits Times

When cold and flu season comes around, tissues aren't the only thing we stock up on. Many of us rely on immune-boosting supplements that we either take throughout the season or whenever we feel a cold coming on to help lessen symptoms. While taking supplements isn't necessary if you have a well-balanced diet rich in whole foods and immune-supporting nutrients, it's always helpful to have the option of getting some virus-fighting reinforcements from vitamin supplements.

But have you walked down the supplement aisle recently? If so, you probably already know that there's no shortage of supplements that claim to support your immune health; however, what you may not realize is that there are only a few that are scientifically proven to do what they claim. We spoke to Mia Syn, MS, RDN, a South Carolina-based registered dietitian of Nutrition by Mia to identify which vitamins actually boost your immunity. Read on, and for more on how to eat healthy, don't miss 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.

The sunshine vitamin plays a key role in brightening up your immune system."In addition to its critical role in calcium and bone homeostasis, vitamin D plays a key role in modulating the immune response," says Syn. Just how much of a role does vitamin D play in your immune response? "Vitamin D receptors are expressed on immune cells!" explains Syn, who adds that "deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased susceptibility to infection."

What to buy: For the most effective immune-boosting vitamin D supplement, you're going to want to look for calcifediol: an active form of vitamin D. A calcifediol supplement does not need to be processed by the liver like a vitamin D2 or D3 supplement would (these are the more common types of vitamin D you'll see sold), so it can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. This makes a calcifediol supplementthree times more effective in raising vitamin D levels when compared to vitamin D3.

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Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble vitamin that is most commonly associated with blood coagulation; however, that's not the only role it plays in the human body. This vitamin also modulates the immune response. "While vitamin D is vital for immune health, it is important to note that vitamin D supplementation is critically important in relation to vitamin K2. Vitamin K2's main role is to work with vitamin D to regulate the transport and distribution of calcium in the body to support heart and bone health. Without enough vitamin K2, osteocalcin remains inactive and calcium will not be integrated into our skeletal system which can lead to excess calcium that can be deposited in the cardiovascular system, where it can have harmful effects," says Syn.

What to buy: There are two different types of vitamin K, and it's important to understand that we're talking about vitamin K2, not K1. Vitamin K is a cofactor for anti-inflammatory proteins and vitamin K2 is more active than K1.

You guessed it! Everyone's favorite immune-boosting vitamin is on our list: "Vitamin C plays a critical role in supporting various cellular functions of both the innate and adaptive immune system. This includes supporting epithelial barrier function against potential invaders and accumulating on immune cells such as neutrophils to enhance microbial killing. Additionally, it may help shorten the duration of a common cold," says Syn.

What to buy: When you're looking for the best way to support your immune system with vitamin C, you're going to want to look for "liposomal vitamin C." Liposomal vitamin C is a form of vitamin C encapsulated in liposomes, which are essentially capsules that protect the vitamin C from digestive acids and enzymes that might break it down within the digestive tract. This makes liposomal vitamin C more bioavailable than your standard vitamin C from supplements.

READ MORE:The #1 Vitamin C Supplement to Take, Says Dietitian

It's time to load up on oysters! (Oh, that's because they're naturally rich in zincnot because it's happy hour.) "Zinc is needed to develop and activate immune cells and a deficiency is characterized by impaired immune function," says Syn.

What to buy: Look for zinc lozenges, not zinc supplements in pill form. The National Institutes of Health reports that zinc lozenges may help reduce symptoms of the common cold if taken with 23 hours of the start of symptoms, but more research is needed to determine the most effective dose.

Read this next:

More:
The Final Verdict On Which Vitamins Actually Boost Your Immunity Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

What The Study Did: This study of 21 mothers investigated the association of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection with immune response in children in the first two months of life.

Authors: Rita Carsetti, M.D., of Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Rome, is the corresponding author.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.32563)

Editors Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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About JAMA Network Open:JAMA Network Open is thenew online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

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Immune response of neonates born to mothers infected with SARS-CoV-2 - EurekAlert

People with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may have an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Guidelines advise people with NSCLC to follow the same protocols as others to protect themselves from the virus while maintaining their treatment schedule and getting the vaccine when their doctor advises.

If a person with NSCLC gets a SARS-CoV-2 infection, they may be at higher risk of severe complications. Additionally, the effects of the pandemic may mean that there are delays to cancer treatment and screening. Health experts advise those with lung cancer to reduce their risk of infection and potential complications by following prevention methods, such as hand washing, mask wearing, physical distancing, and receiving the vaccine when possible.

Evidence suggests that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for individuals with NSCLC and that these shots can help lower their health risks. This is also true for people currently receiving cancer treatments, such as immunotherapy and chemotherapy. However, these individuals may require close monitoring to identify potential side effects. It is also advisable to consult a doctor regarding a suitable vaccine schedule.

This article discusses the associations between NSCLC and COVID-19, as well as the potential risks and appropriate precautions.

According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is among the most common forms of cancer in the United States and the leading cause of cancer deaths. There are two main types of lung cancer: NSCLC and small cell lung cancer. Approximately 84% of lung cancer cases are NSCLC, which can be difficult to treat, as it is often less sensitive to the current treatment options than other cancers.

People with NSCLC can experience symptoms that include:

People with NSCLC are also vulnerable to infection. This is because the combination of the disease and its treatments, such as chemotherapy, leads to a weakened immune system. People with cancer have a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that also affects the airways and lungs. The condition can cause symptoms similar to those of NSCLC, such as a persistent cough, tiredness, and breathing difficulties. Other symptoms of COVID-19 may include:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with some chronic medical conditions, including cancer, are more likely than other people to develop a severe illness from COVID-19. Severe illness from COVID-19 can result in:

The increased risk for people with NSCLC can be due to the cancer itself, the cancer treatment, or a combination of both. People with NSCLC are also more likely to have other risk factors for severe illness from COVID-19, such as smoking and older age.

A 2021 review highlights evidence indicating that people with lung cancers are more likely than people with other cancers to die from COVID-19. A history of smoking and the increased pressure that the pandemic has placed on respiratory services in hospitals could contribute toward this increased risk.

Lung cancer can also cause various other complications, including blood clots, heart problems, and neuropathy.

There are many possible treatment options for people with NSCLC. These include:

The best type of treatment will depend on several factors, including the spread of the cancer and the presence of other medical conditions. Treatment will typically involve a combination of approaches.

COVID-19 has caused major disruptions to cancer care worldwide. A 2021 study suggests that the increased pressure on services during the pandemic is the main cause of these disruptions.

The treatment for NSCLC commonly involves visiting a clinic or hospital. This approach may put people with NSCLC at a higher risk of developing COVID-19 and potentially severe complications. The treatments themselves also pose additional risks by affecting the immune system. For example, chemotherapy suppresses the immune system, which reduces the bodys natural defenses against infections and disease.

People with NSCLC should discuss the risks and benefits of different treatment approaches in the context of COVID-19. In some cases, a doctor may suggest delaying treatment to minimize the risk of complications. They may also suggest that people receive a COVID-19 vaccine before initiating cancer treatments, as this may improve the chances of an adequate immune response.

COVID-19 vaccinations are a safe and effective way of preventing severe disease and limiting the spread of the virus that causes it. The CDC states that COVID-19 vaccines have been subject to the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history.

Health experts recommend that people with most underlying medical conditions, including cancer, get the vaccine. The risks of COVID-19 are far greater for people with cancer than the risk of rare side effects from the vaccine.

However, it is important for people with cancer to discuss with a doctor when is the right time to receive the vaccination. Some cancer treatments suppress the immune system and may reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. People who have recently received cancer treatment may benefit from waiting until their immune system fully recovers before getting the vaccine.

People with NSCLC should take additional care to avoid getting COVID-19 due to the increased risk of severe disease. The National Cancer Institute recommends that people with cancer, or a history of cancer, keep safe and minimize the risk of getting a SARS-CoV-2 infection by:

NSCLC is a serious condition that requires treatment from a doctor. Early detection is vital to catching the cancer before it spreads and to improving treatment outcomes. Anyone who experiences any symptoms of NSCLC should contact a doctor immediately.

People living with NSCLC should also contact a doctor if they notice potential symptoms of COVID-19. A doctor can advise on testing and whether to visit a clinic in person or organize a home visit.

NSCLC is a common form of lung cancer that can be fatal. As both the condition itself and its treatments can affect the immune system and lungs, lung cancer puts a person at increased risk of potentially severe complications of COVID-19. It is advisable for people with NSCLC to follow guidelines on avoiding the virus, which include receiving the vaccine.

Evidence suggests that the vaccine is safe for people with NSCLC and that it can help provide adequate protection against SARS-CoV-2. A doctor can advise when to schedule a vaccine, which may be best before or after cancer treatments, so that it provides the optimal immune response.

Original post:
NSCLC and COVID-19: Risks and precautions - Medical News Today

I hate to be the voice of doom, but on top of the pandemic we are also facing an epidemic of allergic, asthmatic, and autoimmune disorders. You might be familiar with the first two, but when it comes to autoimmunity, most people only hear about it when they receive a diagnosis. It is certainly becoming one of the most common health concerns clients come to my clinic.

Autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, celiac disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and the many other hard-to-classify syndromes of the 21st century. At their root they are connected by one central biochemical process, an immune imbalance. Your immune system gets confused and your own tissues get caught in a crossfire. Your body is fighting something - an infection, a toxin, an allergen even food, and somehow it redirects its hostile attack on your own tissues. This immune confusion results from what is referred to as molecular mimicry: when the invader's structure is very similar to the structure of our own tissue. Interestingly, autoimmune disorders occur almost exclusively in developed countries. People in poor nations without modern amenities like running water, flush toilets, washing machines, and manicured backyards don't get these diseases. If you grew up on a farm with lots of animals, you are also less likely to have any of these inflammatory disorders. Playing in the dirt and being exposed to bugs and infections trains your immune system to recognize what is foe and what is "you." Stress has a huge impact on your immunity, weakening your ability to fight infections and increasing your chances to develop allergies and autoimmunity.Autoimmune diseases when taken all together are a huge health burden. Unfortunately, many of the conventional treatments available can make you feel worse. When used selectively, these drugs can help people get their lives back. But they are not a long-term solution. Anti-inflammatory drugs and immune suppressants may lead to multiple side effects. They shouldn't be the end of treatment, but a bridge to cool off inflammation while the root cause of the disease is found and addressed.Naturopathy sees you as a whole, not as a machinery with separate parts. No matter what part of your body is under attack by your immune system, the solution is one and the very same: you need to find the root cause and balance your immune system using a functional medicine approach, a new way of thinking about the underlying causes and imbalances in chronic disease.You are also a unique individual a mixture of your genetic makeup, your history and your environment, therefore the only real solution is finding and addressing your specific cause, ridding your body and your environment of anything that may drive your condition, healing your damaged tissues by supplying your body with immune-balancing nutrients and powerful botanicals. The journey is long, it is not easy, but it leads to quality of life without side effects and halts the spread of autoimmunity to new tissues.

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Healthy Living: Autoimmunity the confused immune system - Limerick Leader

Data Presented at ASH Underscores the Potential of the Smart-Immune Platform That Can Generate ex-vivo T- cell progenitors and NK- Cells for the Treatment of Primary Immunodeficiencies, and Cancers

PARIS, Nov. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smart Immune SAS, a T-cell medicine company utilizing its proprietary ex-vivo biomimetic thymus in a dish technology to develop allogeneic T-cell progenitors Smart-101 (ProTcell) for rapid immune reconstitution, announced today the presentation of clinical data and preclinical research at the 63rd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), taking place December 11-14 in Atlanta, Georgia. Preliminary data in these abstracts became available on the ASH conference website 9:00 AM ET yesterday. Recently, Smart-Immune has also announced the commencement of its first US clinical trial using its T-cell progenitor product (Smart-101) for the treatment of patients with AML and ALL who receive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT).

For a young company like ours, the selection of abstracts at a prestigious hematology conference like ASH is a recognition of the potential of our platform technology to uniquely and selectively generate large numbers of T- and/or NK-progenitors with the purity and reproducibility necessary for clinical use, commented Karine Rossignol, the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Smart-Immune. These abstracts selected represent a decade of research by my co-founders Drs. Marina Cavazzana and Isabelle Andre to create a short and elegantly simple 7-day culture system to generate lymphoid progenitors allowing a fast (within 100 days instead of 1-2 years) a polyclonal reconstitution of a fully functional immune system able to fight cancers and infections, changing drastically the prognosis of patients. With widespread applicability across primary immunodeficiencies, and hematological cancers, and three clinical trials launched, Smart-Immune is the first company to bring allogenic human progenitor cells into clinical development.

Story continues

Abstracts accepted at ASH include:

1)

Rapid and Safe T Cell Immune Reconstitution By T Cell Progenitor Injection Following Haploidentical Transplantation for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID).

Presenter: Despina Moshous, Hospital Necker Enfants Malades

Session Name: 704. Cellular Immunotherapies: Clinical: Poster I

Session Date: Dec 11th, 2021

Session Time: 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Room: Georgia World Congress Center, Hall B5

Abstract Synopsis: Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), is a severe form of primary immunodeficiency, responsible for the death, within the first few months of life, if not treated with HSCT. In the absence of an HLA-identical HSC donor, an urgent haploidentical HSCT is proposed to newborns with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). The authors describe how the Delta-4 ligand based, culture system, that is at the core of the Companys invention, can be used to generate the earliest CD7+ T-cell progenitors (Smart-101) from such a haploidentical donor. Patient outcomes for two SCID babies being treated in the ongoing Smart-Immune phase 1/2 trial in SCID, who receive Smart-101 after allogeneic HSCT is discussed. Available data indicate that when Smart-101 is used at the optimal window of time in the early weeks after birth, rapid immune reconstitution with CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+ T-cells may result in freedom from infections and GvHD and can be lifesaving for such SCID babies. These preliminary results deserve further investigation, which will be performed as part of our ongoing clinical study.

2)

Ex Vivo Production Of Large Numbers Of Genetically Modified NK Cells From Cord Blood Or Mobilized Peripheral Blood CD34+ Cells Using Notch Ligand Delta-Like 4 Culture System

Presenter: Ranjita Devi Moirangthem, Smart-Immune SAS

Session Name: 703. Cellular Immunotherapies: Basic and Translational: Poster II

Session Date: Dec 12th, 2021

Session Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Room: Georgia World Congress Center, Hall B5

Abstract Synopsis: In this research the authors extend the utility of the Companys proprietary Delta-4 ligand based, feeder free, culture platform from generating not just pure allogeneic T-cell CD7+ progenitors (Smart-101), but also being able to generate T-cell free, CD56+ NK-cells (Smart-103) when culture conditions are modified to be NK-conducive. Expansion of these NK-progenitors result in NK populations with normal surface markers, gene expression patterns and cytotoxicity seen in NK cells immunoselected from human beings. Allogeneic NK-therapy is at its infancy but provides many advantages over T-cell therapy in it being free from graft-versus-host disease and downstream cytokine storm in the recipient. Moreover, the Companys NK-cells are also easily gene modifiable such that the transgene is robustly expressed in the NK population, paving the way for possible future CAR- NK development expanding our technology to both lymphoid populations, i.e., T and NK cells.

At Smart-Immune, we are first and foremost focused on validating that our first cell-therapy product, which is our early progenitor T-cells (Smart-101) devoid of any form of genetic engineering, is of easy access and safe to patients in both the short-term and long-term, said Dr. Marina Cavazzana, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Smart-Immune. Smart-101 has to be safe and effective in what it is intended to do i.e., shorten the lymphoid immunodeficient period from 18 months to 3-6 months, benefiting infection, graft versus host (GvHD) and relapse rates, and possibly augmenting survival. Proving this in 2022-2023 will pave the way for our next phase of clinical programs starting early 2024 using CAR-ProTcell where our progenitor T-cells could bear efficient transgenes to fight cancers.

A description of all three US and European clinical trials using Smart-Immunes progenitor populations can be found on the Companys website: Smart-Immune.com

To learn more about the US clinical trial for Smart-101 in pediatric and adult leukemia, please refer to: ClinicalTrials.gov (Trial Identifier: NCT04959903)

About Smart Immune:Smart Immunes mission is to make T-cell therapy accessible and affordable to all patients and, through its groundbreaking ProTcell platform, has developed clinical stage T-cell progenitors designed to improve prognosis for patients affected by malignant blood diseases or rare primary immunodeficiencies. The company is utilizing its unique ex-vivo biomimetic thymus in a dish technology to culture specific T-cell progenitor subpopulations at clinical scale and use them for cell or gene therapy. The company was founded in 2017 by Dr Isabelle Andr, Karine Rossignol, and Dr Marina Cavazzana from Hpital Necker-Enfants Malades AP-HP, a pediatric hematologist and a pioneer in vector-based therapies and hematopoietic stem cell treatments.

About ProTcell:The Smart Immune ProTcell platform generates allogenic T-cell progenitors that provide fully functional polyclonal T-cells within 3 months following an allogeneic HSCT while also reducing GvHD, infections and relapses thereby reducing morbidity and mortality and improving the benefice risk ratio for allogeneic medicine. When infused, ProTcell progenitors migrate to the patients thymus where they expand, are selected, and then differentiate, resulting in fully functional T-cells, tolerant to the patients own immune system and reactive to viral, fungal, and malignant antigens. ProTcell has been accepted by the FDA as an Investigational New Drug (IND) for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) and Acute Myelocytic Leukemia (AML) and has also been granted fast track designation under its expedited program for serious conditions like SCID. In 2021, the FDA granted orphan drug designation for ProTcell as a treatment to enhance cell engraftment in patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) including hematologic malignancies and all forms of primary immunodeficiencies. ProTcell is currently being studies in two clinical trials in Europe, with two in the U.S. expected to start in Q4 2021. To learn more, please visit http://www.smart-immune.com

Media/Investor Contact

Media Contact

Jason Wong

Clare Evans

Blueprint Life Science Group

Smart Immune

jwong@bplifescience.com

clare.evans.ext@smartimmune.com

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Smart Immune Announces Acceptance of Two Abstracts Covering Preclinical Research and Clinical Data at the American Society of Hematology - Yahoo...

A parasite commonly found in cats faeces might one day help treat cancer. My colleagues and I have discovered that the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis a condition that can be harmful to pregnant women and those with a suppressed immune system might be useful at destroying cancer tumours. At least, thats what our study in mice suggests.

For many years now, researchers have been looking at how they can use the bodys immune system to treat cancer known as immunotherapy. This is because, alongside protecting us from the harmful effects of bacteria and viruses, our immune system also rids the body of abnormal cells, such as cancer cells. But sometimes these cancerous cells and tumours can develop techniques for evading the bodys immune system, which means that the immune system wont kill them, and theyll be allowed to grow and replicate.

One type of immunotherapy is immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Our immune system contains a number of so-called immune checkpoints that prevent it from destroying healthy cells. But cancer cells can also avoid destruction by taking advantage of this on/off switch. The checkpoint can shut down immune cells called T cells and suppress the immune response. This is how some tumours are able to avoid being destroyed by the immune system.

Immune checkpoint blockade therapy works by blocking the checkpoint proteins from binding with their partner proteins and sending the off signal. This means that the cancer cells will become visible to the T cells, which can then go about destroying the tumour.

While immune checkpoint blockade therapy has shown promise in treating many types of cancer including lung cancer and melanoma this type of therapy, and many other immunotherapy treatments, dont work very well on so-called cold tumours. These difficult to treat tumours are surrounded by cells that suppress the bodys immune response, which means immune cells wont know how to attack it. Types of cancers where cold tumours are common include breast, ovary and prostate cancers.

But our latest research has discovered a method that could improve the treatment of these cold tumours and it involves using the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, a relatively common condition that people catch from the faeces of infected cats or infected meat. While its typically harmless and often only causes mild flu-like symptoms, it can be serious in pregnant women and those who have a compromised immune system.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. The reason we chose T. gondii is because it is very infectious and has been shown to infect many species of warm-blood animals including humans. The pathogen is also very tough, secreting proteins that prevent the bodys immune system from acting ultimately ensuring its own growth, replication and survival. We figured that all these attributes would allow T. gondii to trigger a strong immune response if administered directly into a tumour in the hope that would be enough for the immune system to kill the cancer.

Using the gene-editing technology Crispr, our team engineered a strain of Toxoplasma gondii that lacked the protein that causes disease. We then injected this mutant strain directly into melanoma tumours in mice. We later tested it on colon and lung cancer tumours as well.

We were able to show that injecting the live parasite directly into a cold tumour was able to trigger a strong immune response in mice. We were also able to show that even nearby tumours, which hadnt been injected, had an increased immune response.

While previous studies have shown that Toxoplasma gondii can be used to treat tumours in mice, our study took this finding one step further. We showed that when this engineered parasite was used alongside immune checkpoint blockade therapy, tumour growth was significantly suppressed. The eight mice given dual therapy in the early stages of melanoma saw their tumours shrink significantly, whereas treatment with only immune checkpoint blockade therapy failed to cause any regression in the injected tumours in mice.

We also showed that the dual treatment was far more effective at not only shrinking tumours but also improving the survival rate of mice when compared with using immune checkpoint blockade therapy alone. All eight mice who only received immune checkpoint blockade therapy died within 39 days while seven out of eight mice who received the dual treatment were still alive after 60 days. We also saw an increase in a number of different types of helpful immune cells which ultimately improved the response of melanoma tumours in particular to treatments.

Our research joins a body of evidence that parasites including the canine tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus can work against different types of cancer. Bacteria, viruses and bacteriophages (viruses that attack bacteria), are also being trialled as potential cancer treatments.

Its important to note that this study is only in mice, and it will take many years and many more studies before we know if this therapy works in humans. Nevertheless, its an exciting step in the right direction and adds to the growing evidence base that pathogens might be helpful tools in our fight against tough-to-treat cancers.

Read more:
A dangerous parasite could be used to treat cancer new research in mice - The Conversation UK

Facts about RSV and HMPV

When it comes to mosquito-borne diseases, malaria is among the worst. It claims thousands of lives annually worldwide and is widely considered an infection of the blood and liver. Also, the antibodies produced in response to the disease are well documented. However, scientists have reported the detection of an unexpected antibody produced against malaria in infected individuals: one that is made primarily in response to infections of the mucous membranes of different organs.

Through a multi-institutional study, researchers discovered the production of IgA (Immunoglobulin A) antibodiesthat are produced when the mucous membranes of organs such as the lungs are infectedin individuals infected with malaria. The study also found that the levels of IgA produced in children and adults in response to parasitic infection varied significantly.

"Not much had been done to study IgA antibodies in malaria infections, because people had not thought that they were important. Yet, because we were not looking for them, we may have missed a whole avenue of research that we can now explore," said Dr. Andrea Berry, corresponding author of the study, in a statement. The findings were published in the journal NPJ Vaccines.

Female anopheles albimanus mosquito (Representational Picture)Pixinio

Malaria is caused in human beings by five parasitic protozoa from the Plasmodiumfamily. They are transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes that serve as the primary vectors. Two of these protozoansPlasmodium falciparumand Plasmodium vivaxpose the biggest threats.

Several complications arise due to malaria. This includes damage to organs such as the kidneys and the liver, and can also result in the rupturing of the spleen. According to the World Malaria Reportreleased by the WHO in 2020, there were 229 million cases of malaria in 2019. The estimated number of deaths due to malaria was approximately 409,000 in 2019. Children below the age of five accounted for 67 percent (274,000) of all malaria deaths.

Different types of antibodies are produced by the immune system to help fight infections, and also to prevent reinfection. In older research, the authors had studied other antibody responses in patients with malaria. As expected, antibodies IgG (Immunoglobulin G), which is the most abundant antibody, and IgM (Immunoglobulin M), an antibody that appears during the initial phases of several infections, were detected.

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of red blood cell infected with malaria parasites, which are colorized in blue (Representational Picture)Flickr/ NIH Image Gallery

However, they also chanced upon an unexpected antibodyIgA (Immunoglobulin A). This was uncharacteristic as these antibodies are mostly produced in response to infections in the mucous membranes in areas such as the intestines, lungs, and vagina, among others. Therefore, the researchers chose to conduct a follow-up study to investigate additional samples for confirming their discovery and to scrutinize more groups of participants.

For the current study, the team examined antibody responsesboth IgG and IgAagainst P. falciparum in blood samples obtained from participants constituting three cohorts. The first group was composed of 32 individuals who had been infected through mosquito bites. Blood samples were collected on 1, 15, and 29 days post-infection.

The second group consisted of 22 volunteers who were challenged with the infection through direct intravenous (IV) introduction of P. falciparum. Blood samples were collected on 1, 29, and 57 days post-infection.

Red Blood Cells (Representational Picture)Wikimedia Commons

In addition to the two volunteer groups, the authors also collected samples from 47 childrenbetween the ages of one to sixliving in Mali, West Africa. These children were part of a malaria vaccine trial and their infections were naturally acquired during the course of the study.

Through their analysis, the researchers learnt that adult participants infected with malaria had high levels of IgA antibodies. The vaccine trial group consisting of Malian children exhibited a reduced prevalence of IgA antibodies. They also showed variability in the antigen specificity. However, ten children from the cohort had IgA antibody levels that were similar to those observed in adult participants.

The team also noted that patterns of IgG response were different between the three groups. Nevertheless, despite these variations, IgG antibodies were found to increase among all three cohorts. One question, however, remains to be answered: What leads to the development of IgA antibodies in malaria patients?

A mosquito biting a person (Representational Picture)Pxfuel

"We do not know what triggers the IgA antibodies to develop, but we think it happens early in a malaria infection. Some people think that the response might happen when the mosquito injects the parasiteinto the skin. Interestingly, some of our participants were not bitten by mosquitoes because their malaria infection was delivered intravenously, so there are probably additional triggers for IgA development," stated Dr. Berry.

It is not certain why the levels of IgA in children were not universally high. Dr. Berry averred that several reasons could be responsible for the differing levels of IgA. "Perhaps, children's immune systems respond differently to the parasite than adults do, or it is possible that IgA antibodies are only created during the first malaria infection," she posited.

Children (Representational Picture)Stocksnap.io

Deliberating on other potential reasons, Dr. Berry explained that the team was aware that the adult participants had received their first infection. However, it was not known whether the children in the vaccination trial had been infected previously.

While the timing of the infections and collection of samples among the adult volunteers was uniform, it was not the case among the child cohort. This was because their malaria infectionsoccurred coincidentally during the course of the study.

Dr. Berry added that tests can now be carried out to ascertain whether IgA antibodies prevent malaria parasites from entering red blood cells or the liver. She also said that the proteins which are targeted by IgA antibodies can be investigated and it can be gleaned whether they can be used in vaccines.

See more here:
Unexpected Antibody Type Discovered In Individuals With Malaria; New Insights Into Immune Response Against Disease [Study] - IBTimes India

Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that immune cells from the upper respiratory tracts of children, taken years before the pandemic began, react with the virus that causes COVID-19.

The findings hint at a possible reason why children with COVID-19 are often asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, while many adults experience severe disease and even death.

We isolated B cells from tonsil tissues collected from children over five years ago, and found that some are reactive to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, saidGoetz Ehrhardt, principal investigator on the study and an associate professor ofimmunologyat U of TsTemerty Faculty of Medicine.

We found that antibodies generated from these B cells have neutralizing potential against the virus in lab experiments, reducing the ability of the spike protein to bind to its target protein on the cell surface.

The study,published in theJournal of Immunology, is one of just a few to examine the role of the mucosal immune system in COVID-19. Other studies have looked at immune components in the bloodoften after infection has taken hold or during recovery.

Mucosal surfaces comprise one of the largest components of the immune systemand include the gut, urogenital tract and respiratory system all of which teem with microbiota including bacteria, viruses and fungi.

The researchers at first assumed the B cells reacted to SARS-CoV-2 because they had encountered similar coronaviruses in the past, perhaps through common colds and other infections.

But the antibodies did not react to those coronaviruses in further testing, although they did share genetic sequence characteristics linked to other triggers.

Taken together, Ehrhardt said, the results suggest cross-reactivity in the B-cell antibodies. The immune system makes these antibodies toward certain agents or pathogensand as a by-product the antibodies react to SARS-CoV-2, he said. It will be interesting to find out what causes that reaction.

A better understanding of the antibody reaction could shed light on the mystery of COVID-19 susceptibility in children and adultsand inform clinical and public health decisions as well as therapeutic approaches.

Whatever the cause of the reaction, it is likely due to a common element in the childhood environment sinceall samples the researchers tested had the SARS-CoV-2-reactive B cells many of which were observed also in the immune systems naive or newly generated B cells that had not encountered any pathogen.

One explanation is that some of these B cells react to triggers in the microbiome, saidYanling Liu, lead author on the paper and a senior research associate in Ehrhardts lab.

Or it could still be that antibodies are reacting to endemic coronavirusesand we just didnt see that, Liu said. We dont really know, but one implication of our work is that it suggests children should respond to vaccines very well since they have those naive B cells ready to recognize vaccine in their lymphoid tissue.

Several other researchers were key to the study, Liu and Ehrhardt said, includingJames Rini, a professor ofbiochemistryandmolecular geneticsat U of T who provided purified spike proteins from viral samples.

Amin Ziaused computational biology to scan large databases and predict which antibodies would react to the virus. Zia was a post-doctoral researcherin the lab ofAlan Moses, a professor in U of Ts departments ofcell and systems biology,ecology and evolutionary biologyandcomputer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

About half the antibodies we generated were based on computer-generated predictions, said Ehrhardt. That was first for us, and it wont be a last.

Researchers atthe Hospital for Sick Children, with whom Ehrhardts lab has collaborated for years, supplied the tonsil tissue samples.

Mucosae are no doubt a very important interface for the immune systems response to a great variety of pathogens, but availability of samples has been a major impediment, said Ehrhardt. Research in this area is gathering steam, and it will be interesting to see where that takes us.

The research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

See the article here:
U of T research may help explain children's immune response to COVID-19 - News@UofT

Sam Antonios| Special to The Capital-Journal

While viruses aren't new to humans, COVID-19 is novel to the human species, so no one has immunity against it. Like many other viruses, this novel coronavirus survives, replicates and transmits itself in and among its primary hosts: human beings.

Our human immune system fights off viral infections by developing special cells that secrete anti-virus molecules. But first, our bodies must learn how to build that immunity.

This coronavirus is a virus with which our bodies have had no previous experience. Some people's bodies can quickly create an immune response before the virus has the opportunity to overwhelm them, usually through domination of their respiratory system. Others aren't as fortunate and their immune system's response is too little, too late, causing them to fall victim to the disease.

For years, weve used vaccination to help our bodies ward off viral infections such as hepatitis, rubella, measles, chickenpox, influenza and rotavirus. The concept is simple: Introduce a non-active chunk or image of the virus so that our body becomes familiar with it and begins its immunity generation.

Because no actual virus has been introduced, that allows us to begin immunity stockpiling without the threat of disease. This model has helped humans for years and continues to do so with COVID-19.

After being vaccinated, when the body is exposed to the COVID-19 virus, it is more ready to fight it off, not even giving it a chance to overwhelm the body. COVID-19 can cause terrible medical problems and death to people. The vaccines available in the United States have been well-tested.

More than 388 million doses of the vaccines have been given in the U.S. and more than 6 billion doses worldwide. The goal is to develop enough collective immunity to stop this strain of coronavirus from spreading and mutating further the way viruses are designed to do.

Real-life evidence shows that the vaccines are working. Although people who have been vaccinated can still get a "breakthrough" infection and potentially transmit the virus, that infection tends to be milder because of their body's preparation work, thanks to the vaccines.

These infections occur far less frequently than those happening among unvaccinated people. We know this to be true because we are seeing this at our own hospitals and clinics.

This is why we continue to urge people to get vaccinated for COVID-19. While it might be tempting to try to ride this out, time is of the essence. The impact of this highly transmissible virus on the health and well being of our community is widely felt, as the surge commands significant resources, causing disruptions and delays for patients needing all types of care.

The story of our immune system fighting off invaders is long, this is simply another chapter. Using what we know works, we can beat this thing.

Sam Antonios, MD, is the chief clinical officer at Ascension Via Christi.

The rest is here:
'The story of our immune system fighting off invaders is long': COVID vaccination gives immune system a chance - The Topeka Capital-Journal

"If it's not broken, don't fix it" is generally good advice for a lot of thingsyour favorite recipe, the gallery wall that took forever to put up, the workout routine your body has been lovingbut something it doesn't necessarily apply to? Your immune system.

While, no, you don't need to "fix" your immune system (nor could you), there are steps you can take to support it, even when you're feeling fantastic.

"Nothing is more critical for a healthy life than a well-functioning immune system," says clinical community pharmacist Kathy M. Campbell, PharmD. The goal, according to Dr. Campbell, is a Goldilocks approachyou want an immune system that's not too weak and not too strong.

"Nothing is more critical for a healthy life than a well-functioning immune system."

"A healthy, well-functioning immune system is an easy thing to take for granted," she says, but luckily, there are habits that can help support your immune systemsome of which you may already be doing. Eating nutrient-packed foods, prioritizing sleep, and getting some direct sunlight are all necessary for overall health, and they can also go a long way in supporting your immune system, Dr. Campbell says.

Assuming those habits are in check, turning to supplements for immune support can be a great next step. "Appropriately chosen, high-quality supplementation can be a very effective addition in supporting a healthy immune system," Dr. Campbell says.

Ready to start stocking up? First, talk to your healthcare provider. Next, turn to a trusted brand like Nature Made, which creates science-backed supplements for plenty of health needs, including immune support.

Okay, so yes, you want all of your supplements to be high-quality, but Dr. Campbell really emphasizes it for multivitamins. "It's important to provide a balance of all nutrients in an effort to minimize over-supplementation with a single nutrient," Dr. Campbell says. A high-quality multivitamin should do that balancing act for you.

Next up for supplements that support immune health? No surprise: good ole vitamin C. "Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, which cannot be synthesized by humans and therefore must be consumed by diet or supplementation," Dr. Campbell says. "Function is key in many biochemical processes within the immune system."

Vitamin D may already be high on your must-have list (hello, sunshine), but if you're supplementing with it, make sure to take it with vitamin K for the biggest impact, Dr. Campbell says. She also notes vitamin K can often be found in quality multis (pssstit's in Nature Made Women's Multivitamin Softgels). Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body, and can help support immune health, she says.

Optimal zinc levels help support a healthy immune system, Dr. Campbell says, but you'll also want to be careful not to overdue it. If you're supplementing with zinc, she recommends combining it with copper, which can often be found in multivitamins, likeyep, you guessed itNature Made Women's Multivitamin Softgels. Your immune system says thank you in advance.

Photo: Getty Images/shurkin_son

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Original post:
Im a Pharmacist, and These Are My Top 4 Go-To Immune-Support Supplements - Well+Good

A microscopic image of a normal mouse small intestine. Cells stained red express normal amounts of cell-surface tags (MHC-II) needed by immune cells to find threats like infections or cancer. High-fat diets reduce the levels of MHC-II tags in intestinal cells, and so the immune system has a harder time recognizing intestinal tumors. Credit: Beyaz lab/CSHL, 2021

The immune system relies on cell surface tags to recognize cancer cells. CSHL researchers discovered mice who ate high-fat diets produced less of these tags on their intestinal cells, suppressing the ability of immune cells to identify and eliminate intestinal tumors. The high-fat diet also reduced the presence of certain bacteria in the mices gut, which normally helps maintain the production of these tags.

A high-fat diet increases the incidence of colorectal cancer. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Fellow Semir Beyaz and collaborators from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered that in mice, fat disrupts the relationship between intestinal cells and the immune cells that patrol them looking for emerging tumors. Reconfiguring the gut microbiome may be a way to heal the relationship.

The immune system patrols tissues looking for and eliminating threats. Certain immune cells look for tags that distinguish between normal and abnormal cells. One tag, called MHC-II, helps target cells for destruction. Cell-surface MHC-II activates the immune system to destroy that cell, whether it is just worn out or about to become cancerous. Beyaz and his colleagues found that when mice ate diets high in fat, MHC-II levels were suppressed in intestinal cells. Cells with reduced levels of these tags were not recognized as abnormal and thus could grow into tumors. Charlie Chung, a Stony Brook University graduate student-in-residence in Beyazs lab, says, If we alter the level of these immune recognition molecules in a positive way, then the tumor will more likely be recognized by the immune cell. We hope this can be coupled with the existing strategies, such as immunotherapy, to eradicate tumors.

Intestinal cells of a mouse that were fed a high-fat diet. The intestinal cells express less of the MHC-II tag than found in a gut from mice fed a normal diet. Credit: Beyaz lab/CSHL, 2021

The researchers found that a high-fat diet changed the mouses intestinal microbiome (the mixture of microbes in the gut). Several bacteria, including ones called Helicobacter, increase MHC-II, which may help immune cells locate abnormal cells. The team did a dirty roommate experiment where mice without these bacteria were housed with ones that had it. The clean mice became infected with the Helicobacter bacteria and produced more of the MHC-II tag.

The scientists findings suggest a new way to boost current immunotherapy treatments against cancer. Increasing the production of this MHC-II tag, either by diet, drugs, or changing the microbes in the body, can help the immune system recognize and eliminate cancer cells. Beyaz says:

This interaction between diet, microbes, and immune recognition has the potential to help us explain how lifestyle factors can contribute to tumor initiation, progression, or response to therapy.

Cancer cells use many tricks to avoid being recognized as abnormal by the immune system, but Beyaz hopes hes found several ways to outwit them.

Reference: Dietary suppression of MHC class II expression in intestinal epithelial cells enhances intestinal tumorigenesis by Semir Beyaz, Charlie Chung, Haiwei Mou, Khristian E. Bauer-Rowe, Michael E. Xifaras, Ilgin Ergin, Lenka Dohnalova, Moshe Biton, Karthik Shekhar, Onur Eskiocak, Katherine Papciak, Kadir Ozler, Mohammad Almeqdadi, Brian Yueh, Miriam Fein, Damodaran Annamalai, Eider Valle-Encinas, Aysegul Erdemir, Karoline Dogum, Vyom Shah, Aybuke Alici-Garipcan, Hannah V. Meyer, Deniz M.zata, Eran Elinav, Alper Kucukural, Pawan Kumar, Jeremy P. Mc Aleer, James G. Fox, Christoph A. Thaiss, Aviv Regev, Jatin Roper, Stuart H. Orkin and mer H. Yilmaz, 15 September 2021, Cell Stem Cell.DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.08.007

Funding: National Cancer Institute, Oliver S. and Jennie R. Donaldson Charitable Trust, Mathers Foundation, STARR Cancer Consortium, Mark Foundation For Cancer Research, National Institutes of Health, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Stem Cell Initiative, Pew Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, American Association of Immunologists Career Reentry Fellowship

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How High-Fat Diets Allow Cancer Cells To Go Unnoticed by the Immune System - SciTechDaily

Treatment for breast cancer is highly effective. Five-year survival rates for breast cancer have increased dramatically in recent decades, and much of that success can be credited to cancer researchers and campaigns designed to inform women about the importance of screenings.

Breast cancer is highly treatable, but treatment typically leads to some unwanted side effects. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, women undergoing treatment for breast cancer may experience a host of side effects, including fatigue, pain, headaches, and dental issues. Cancer treatments, most notably chemotherapy, also can take a toll on womens immune systems.

Why does chemotherapy affect the immune system?

Cancer is caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in the body. According to Breastcancer.org, chemotherapy targets these abnormal cells, but also can affect fast-growing cells that are healthy and normal. So chemotherapy can damage cells throughout the body, including those in bone marrow. When bone marrow is damaged, its less capable of producing sufficient red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Breastcancer.org notes that the body is more vulnerable to infection when it does not have enough white blood cells.

Does chemotherapy always weaken the immune system?

The effects of chemotherapy on the immune system depend on various factors. According to Breastcancer.org, a patients age and overall health may influence the effects of chemotherapy on their immune systems. Young, healthy patients may be less vulnerable to infections from weakened immune systems than aging, less healthy patients. However, Susan G. Komen notes that the median age for breast cancer diagnosis in the United States is 63, so many patients are likely to be affected by the impact that treatment can have on their immune systems. The length of treatment and amount of medicines patients receive also can affect the impact of chemotherapy on patients immune systems. Breastcancer.org notes that being administered two or more chemotherapy medicines at once is more likely to affect the immune system than just one medication.

Chemotherapy is not the only treatment that can affect breast cancer patients immune systems. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America notes that surgery, radiation, CAR T-cell therapy, stem cell transplants, and even immunotherapy can affect the immune system. Surgery can overtax the immune system and compromise its ability to prevent infections and heal wounds caused by the procedure. Like chemotherapy, radiation therapy can damage healthy cells and lead to an increased risk of infection. And while immunotherapy is designed to boost the immune system by helping it recognize and attack cells more effectively, it also can lead to an overactive immune system that attacks healthy cells.

Cancer treatment is often highly effective. However, patients may need to work with their physicians to combat treatment side effects that can adversely affect their immune systems.

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How breast cancer treatments can affect the immune system - Defiance Crescent News

Booster shots now available at FAMU. Photo Courtesy: wctv.com

Florida A&M University is now offering two booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine for those with compromised immune systems.

The Pfizer and Moderna third dosage are available to, but not limited to, individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), lupus, heart conditions and people who are prescribed drugs that suppress their immune system.

Jamal Stokes, a Tallahassee native and lupus patient, has already received his booster shot for the Pfizer vaccine.

As soon as I got word that the booster shot was available on FAMUs campus, I went right up there, Stokes said. I didnt have to bring a doctors note or anythingvery grateful that the university is offering this.

The university is not requiring individuals with compromised immune systems to bring a doctors note to prove their conditions, preregister, or make appointments. They are only required to fill out a form upon arrival.

Tanya Tatum, the FAMU Student Health Services director, discussed the purpose of this third dosage for those who are eligible.

The additional dose brings their immune systems up to par with those who have healthy immunes and are fully vaccinated, Tatum explained.

Some students at the university are hopeful that the booster shot will eventually be offered to all individuals, no matter their immune status. Students are trying their best to remain optimistic about not only the future of the university, but the United States.

I think its really important that the campus is offering the third dosage and all other vaccines because hopefully that will encourage students to get it, Tyla Ewards, a fourth year facilities management student with long qt syndrome said. Its free and super convenient being that you can go get your booster shot in between classes with no hassle.

For now, scientists are recommending the booster shots to those with convincing evidence that the initial doses of the vaccine do not offer enough immune protection.

The Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committee has posed the question of whether to wait for a booster designed to fight against multiple variants to be offered to those with normal immune systems.

The most common side effects by clinical trial participants who have received the booster dose of the vaccine were pain, redness and swelling at the injection site. Other side effects include headache, fatigue, joint or muscle pain and chills.

Both Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines are available at FAMU on 659 Ardelia Court, located off Robert and Trudie Perkins Way. The site is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Saturday.

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Booster shots now offered at FAMU The Famuan - Famuan

A new, sustainable immune health ingredient derived from carrot pomace is set to launch at the SupplySide West trade show in Las Vegas this October. Introduced by Dutch ingredients company NutriLeads (Wageningen, the Netherlands), BeniCaros is an ingredient suited for both dietary supplements and functional foods and beverages.

BeniCaros is a soluble fiber produced from upcycled carrot pomace, which is a byproduct of carrot juice production, making it a sustainable ingredient that is also label friendly.

NutriLeadss proprietary extraction process ensures the ingredient is rich in the immune-supporting polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I). The company says BeniCaros was shown in a clinical trial to help the immune system become more responsive to potential challenges as well as to stimulate beneficial gut microorganisms and their metabolites, at a daily dose of 0.3 grams. The firm says there is robust preclinical and clinical research showing the efficacy of BeniCaros.

In a press release, Ruud Albers, PhD, chief scientific officer for NutriLeads, said, I have been active in this field for more than 25 years and have never seen another ingredient with such distinctive data supporting its effectiveness. He added, There are many immune health ingredient options out there but very few that work like BeniCaros and even fewer that work with the same efficacy to support immune function.

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Immune health ingredient from carrots debuting at SupplySide West 2021 - Nutritional Outlook