Every week there are numerous scientific studies published. Heres a look at some of the more interesting ones.
Timing the Immune Response of COVID-19
A study from the Keck School of Medicine at USC suggests that temporarily suppressing the immune system during the early stages of COVID-19 can avoid severe symptoms. This is related to research showing an interaction between the bodys two primary lines of defense may be overstimulating the patients immune system. The research was published in the Journal of Medical Virology.
Some COVID-19 patients may experience a resurgence of the disease after an apparent easing of symptoms, said Sean Du, adjunct researcher and lead author of the study. Its possible that the combined effect of the adaptive and the innate immune responses may reduce the virus to a low level temporarily. However, if the virus is not completely cleared, and the target cells regenerate, the virus can take hold again and reach another peak.
As a result of what they call a counterintuitive idea, they are proposing a short regimen of an appropriate immunosuppressant drug applied early in the disease. Du said, With the right suppressive agent, we may be able to delay the adaptive immune response and prevent it from interfering with the innate immune response, which enables faster elimination of the virus and the infected cells.
The bodys innate immune response begins right after infection. The second line of defense is the adaptive immune response, which doesnt start for several days if any virus remains. It uses what it has learned about the virus to marshal a variety of T-cells and B-cells to attack the remaining virus. COVID-19, which targets surface cells throughout the respiratory system, has an average incubation of six days and a slower disease progression than, for example, the flu. The adaptive immune response, they believe, may start before the target cells are depleted, which slows down the infection and interferes with the innate immune responses ability to kill off most of the virus.
High Blood Pressure Medications Safe for COVID-19 Patients
One of the clear comorbidities for COVID-19 is high blood pressure. NYU Langone Health/NYU School of Medicine studied 12,594 patients to determine if common high blood pressure drugs increased the risk of contracting the disease or of developing severe disease. The study found no links between treatment with four drug classes: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors; angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs); beta blockers; or calcium channel blockers. They also did not find an increased likelihood of a positive test for COVID-19 in people taking these medications.
Researchers ID Protein Linked to Lyme Disease Arthritis
Investigators at Washington State University identified a surface protein called VIsE that prevents the immune system from fighting Lyme disease. In particular, the study looked at how VIsE protects one of the primary proteins response for persistent arthritis in the disease. This is one step closer to being able to develop a vaccine against Lyme.
Korean Researchers ID 2 Already Approved Drugs that Show Promise Against COVID-19
Korean investigators screened 48 FDA-approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2 and identified two that showed promise. One is niclosamide, marketed by Bayer under the name Niclocide, as well as by others, and is used to treat tapeworm infections. The drug generally has slow absorption, which would likely diminish its effectiveness for COVID-19. The second is ciclesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid used to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Activating an Estrogen Receptor Shows Promise for Halting Pancreatic Cancer
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that activating the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), found on the surface of many normal and cancer tissues, appears to stop pancreatic cancer from growing. It also appears to make the cancer cells more visible to the immune system, meaning it should improve immunotherapy. It has generally been noted that women have better outcomes than men for most cancer types. But, the concept that cancers in non-reproductive tissues may also be influenced by sex steroid hormones is a fairly recent concept.
Key Insight into Prion Diseases
An infectious prion is a protein without nucleic acid, linked to mad cow disease and similar disease in humans, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, as well as fatal familial insomnia and kuru. These diseases are always fatal and very poorly understood how prions actually cause disease. Tricia Serio, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at University of Massachusetts Amherst, identified a key piece of the puzzle. It has been known that prion protein (PrP) misfolding is part of the disease process. In mammals, the protein quality control system responds to folding mistakes with chaperone molecules that search for misfolds and attempt to correct the mistakes. Prions misfold so fat chaperones cant keep up. The new finding was that prion aggregates come in different sizesfor the same proteinand it turns out that the seed complex has to double in size for the disease to persist. The minimum size of the prion determines whether the chaperone can win.
Genetic Complexity and Redundancy Complicates Precision Medicine
Precision medicine is the concept that each persons genetic makeup uniquely affects their response to drugs. Mapping of the human genome, completed in 2003, opened up the field. Researchers with McMaster University, noting that precision and personalized medicine hasnt quite lived up to its promise, undertook a massive review of decades of research in the field, which they published in Genomic Medicine.
Their review found that unnecessary complexity in evolutionary pathways need to be further understood, right down to the level of genomic variations between individual cells in the same person, before personalized medicine can be leveraged effectively.
Our bodies have an immense ability to change and to cope with issues that arise, said Bhagwati Gupta, who conducted the research with fellow evolutionary biologist Rama Singh. Context matters in our genome. Even a simple mutation can have a profound effect on the body, when acting in combination with others.
The authors note that individual genes dont determine sickness or health on their own. They interact with groups of other genes and the environment in ways that are only starting to be understood.
The idea has long been that individual genetic mutations could be classified as good, bad or neutral, Singh says. Genes, though, do not work alone, and so no single gene can be considered to be good, bad or neutral in all contexts.
Read the original post:
Research Roundup: Timing the Immune Response of COVID-19 and More - BioSpace
- Technion team discovers important adaptive strategy of the microbiome, impacting immune system - The Jerusalem Post - April 16th, 2024
- Targeting aging and age-related diseases with vaccines - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- Single cell analysis unveils B cell-dominated immune subtypes in HNSCC for enhanced prognostic and therapeutic ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- After the Smoke Clears: Scars on the Immune System - The Scientist - April 16th, 2024
- Exercise and the Immune System: What's the Latest Research? - Technology Networks - April 16th, 2024
- Analysis of immune cell infiltration characteristics in severe acute pancreatitis through integrated bioinformatics ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- Vaccination impairs de novo immune response to omicron breakthrough infection, a precondition for the original ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- Harnessing the power of the body's own cells to defeat cancer - Press Publications Inc. - April 16th, 2024
- Best Life: Immunotherapy targets brain cancer - Action News 5 - April 16th, 2024
- Dietary factors and their influence on immunotherapy strategies in oncology: a comprehensive review | Cell Death ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- New insights on B cells: Researchers explore building better antibodies and curbing autoimmune diseases - Medical Xpress - April 16th, 2024
- Immune cells' intense reaction to the coronavirus may lead to pneumonia - Science News Magazine - April 16th, 2024
- The telltale traces long Covid leaves in the blood - healthcare-in-europe.com - April 16th, 2024
- Overview of the Immune System - The Merck Manuals - March 18th, 2024
- SUNDAY Unraveling The Gut-Brain Connection: How Infant Gut Bacteria Shape Immune Resilience | TheHealthSit - TheHealthSite - March 18th, 2024
- Making drugs from T cells: The quantitative pharmacology of engineered T cell therapeutics | npj Systems Biology and ... - Nature.com - March 18th, 2024
- Study unlocks the mystery of neonatal neutropenia in newborns - News-Medical.Net - March 18th, 2024
- Vertebral Subluxation and Systems Biology: An Integrative Review Exploring the Salutogenic Influence of Chiropractic ... - Cureus - March 18th, 2024
- A new strategy to attack aggressive brain cancer shrank tumors in two early tests - ABC News - March 18th, 2024
- Turning on the Bat Signal - The Scientist - March 18th, 2024
- Power Foods That Can Support Your Immune System - Videos from The Weather Channel - The Weather Channel - March 18th, 2024
- Report: Aggressive brain tumors respond to new, immune-focused therapy - UPI News - March 18th, 2024
- Designer immune-cell therapy could shrink deadly brain tumors, early trials show - Livescience.com - March 18th, 2024
- 20.2: Introduction to the Immune System - Biology LibreTexts - February 27th, 2024
- Can one shot of yoghurt really boost your immunity and gut health? - Daily Mail - February 27th, 2024
- New cancer therapy approved by FDA supercharges bodys immune system - The Washington Post - February 27th, 2024
- How bubonic plague rewired the human immune system - BBC.com - February 27th, 2024
- Innovative therapy targets and destroys leukemia stem cells - News-Medical.Net - February 27th, 2024
- Participate in Our Study for $100; Open Slots This Week - University of Arkansas Newswire - February 27th, 2024
- Sexual dimorphism during integrative endocrine and immune responses to ionizing radiation in mice | Scientific Reports - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis identifies the RNA-binding protein LRPPRC as a novel prognostic and immune ... - ScienceDirect.com - February 27th, 2024
- YOUR HEALTH: The HAMR fights cancer - WAFB - February 27th, 2024
- Cycles of a diet that mimics fasting can reduce signs of immune system aging, as well as insulin resistance and liver fat - News-Medical.Net - February 27th, 2024
- How the powerhouse of the cell could be cancers Achilles heel - Freethink - February 27th, 2024
- Food is medicine: The science behind zinc and other supplements for immune health - Healio - February 27th, 2024
- Unleashing Our Immune Response to Quash Cancer - Medscape - February 27th, 2024
- Tumor histoculture captures the dynamic interactions between tumor and immune components in response to anti-PD1 ... - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Converging and evolving immuno-genomic routes toward immune escape in breast cancer - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Sanjula Jain Urges a Comprehensive Approach in Address Alarming Rise in Cancer Cases Among Younger Populations - Managed Healthcare Executive - February 27th, 2024
- Cystic fibrosis breakthrough points to zinc as infection buster - New Atlas - February 27th, 2024
- Exploring synergies between B- and T-cell vaccine approaches to optimize immune responses against HIVworkshop ... - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Is the 100-year old TB vaccine a new weapon against Alzheimers? - The Guardian - February 27th, 2024
- Immune system in the blood of Alzheimer's patients found to be epigenetically altered - News-Medical.Net - February 10th, 2024
- What impact does exercise have on your immune system? And how to stay well while cycling - BikeRadar - February 10th, 2024
- Had COVID recently? Here's what to know about how long immunity lasts, long COVID, and more - AAMC - February 10th, 2024
- Noor Momin harnesses the immune system to treat heart disease | Penn Today - Penn Today - February 10th, 2024
- Research reveals a process tumors use to induce immune suppressor cells and evade immunotherapy - Medical Xpress - February 10th, 2024
- Immune targeting of HIV-1 reservoir cells: a path to elimination strategies and cure - Nature.com - February 10th, 2024
- Preventing severe allergic reactions with nanoparticles - National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov) - February 10th, 2024
- Sugary handshakes are how cells talk to each other understanding these name tags can clarify how the immune ... - The Conversation Indonesia - February 10th, 2024
- Scientists have identified an immune cell that can cause allergies - EL PAS USA - February 10th, 2024
- Sickle cell and the importance of the immune system - Punch Newspapers - February 10th, 2024
- Which cancers can be treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors? - MD Anderson Cancer Center - February 10th, 2024
- How does waste leave the brain? Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - February 10th, 2024
- Healthy Kids: Give your immune system a boost to stay healthy this winter - nbc16.com - February 10th, 2024
- The impact of prior exposure to hypoglycaemia on the inflammatory response to a subsequent hypoglycaemic episode ... - Cardiovascular Diabetology - February 10th, 2024
- Impact of Chronic Stress on Immune System and Depression | Health News - Medriva - February 10th, 2024
- I tried 'swamp soup,' the viral recipe that promises to boost your immune system - Yahoo News - February 10th, 2024
- Understanding Immune Checkpoint Inhibition Therapy: Challenges and Strategies - Medriva - February 10th, 2024
- One Simple Change May Dramatically Boost The Effect of COVID-19 Vaccines - ScienceAlert - February 10th, 2024
- The gut virome is associated with stress-induced changes in behaviour and immune responses in mice - Nature.com - February 10th, 2024
- Cancer vaccines are in the works to fight BRCA-linked gene mutations - The Philadelphia Inquirer - February 10th, 2024
- What are the organs of the immune system? - InformedHealth.org - NCBI ... - January 17th, 2024
- Novel insights into the immune response to bacterial T cell superantigens - Nature.com - January 17th, 2024
- FDA signs off on Takeda's HyQvia as maintenance therapy for CIDP - FiercePharma - January 17th, 2024
- CBDs Pobezinsky and Pobezinskaya Use Flow Cytometry to Determine How Tumor Cells Outwit the Bodys Immune ... - UMass News and Media Relations - January 17th, 2024
- Boosting. What To Do. - Science Based Medicine - January 17th, 2024
- Axelia Oncology takes its TLR2/6 agonist into the clinic to harness the innate immune system - BioWorld Online - January 17th, 2024
- Long COVID manifests with T cell dysregulation, inflammation and an uncoordinated adaptive immune response to ... - Nature.com - January 17th, 2024
- Opinion | Thanks to mRNA, Future Drugs Will Be Easier and Faster to Make - Mississippi Free Press - January 17th, 2024
- Elon research team models the COVID immune response, one equation at a time - Today at Elon - January 17th, 2024
- Are plant-based meals good for your immune system? 4 things to know about improving your health this week. - Yahoo Life - January 17th, 2024
- Scientists Find Key To Potential Breast Cancer Prevention, Treatment | Newsroom - UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine - January 17th, 2024
- What if every germ hit you at the exact same time? An immunologist explains - The Conversation - January 17th, 2024
- Why Don't We Have a Staph Vaccine? - Healthnews.com - January 17th, 2024
- Best ways to improve your immune system - The Business Standard - January 17th, 2024
- Stanford University researchers think future pandemics could be prevented with universal vaccines - KGO-TV - January 17th, 2024
- Why you may feel depressed and anxious when you're ill and how to cope with it - The Conversation - January 17th, 2024
- New mechanism with potential to boost checkpoint-blocking cancer immunotherapies identified - Medical Xpress - January 17th, 2024
- Battling Bugs and Blues: The Interplay of Infection and Emotion - News-Medical.Net - January 17th, 2024