Abadie et al., developed transgenic DQ8-Dd-villin-IL-15tg mice, which express the HLA-DQ8 [HLA associated with genetic predisposition to coeliac disease), as well as over-express IL-15 by both the lamina propria and IECs. These transgenic mice developed immunopathologies associated with coeliac disease, including villous atrophy after a gluten-rich diet.
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miRNA carried by NETs modulate macrophage function
Researchers from Brazil aimed to determine if small non-coding RNA molecules known as microRNAs (miRNA) are associated with NETs. miRNAs regulate cellular processes and can be detected both intra- and extra-cellularly, bound to protein or packaged in lipid-based carriers. They detected miRNA...
Does mumps immunity induced by 2 doses of MMR wane in adulthood?
Researchers from Emory University and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US aimed to determine if individuals vaccinated with 2 doses of (97% of the cohort) MMR in childhood have waned mumps-specific antibody (Ab) and memory B cell (MBCs) responses. Rasheed et al., showed that Abs to mumps...
Fever: A positive regulator of Th17 mediated inflammation
Researchers led by Prof Chen Dong from Tsinghua University (Beijing, China) have demonstrated that increased body temperature critically regulates the differentiation and pathogenicity of Th17, a subset of T cells which have been associated with inflammation and exacerbation of inflammatory diseases*.
T cells altered by CRISPR may be safe to use in cancer patients
Scientists from USA have recently reported on the first human phase I clinical trial that tested the safety of using CRISPR edited immune cells in patients with advanced cancer. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing was used to enhance the natural ability of human T cells to fight cancer in three patients.
DENV-infection induces two major CD8 T cell memory subsets
A study by Chng et al., used CYTOF and Luminex to determine cellular activation, phenotypic, memory and functional kinetics associated with acute (febrile), post-febrile and early convalescent DENV infection. As expected they showed that acute infection was associated with high levels of activation ...
Repurposing of a drug for alcoholism to treat cancer
Functional activity by tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) contribute to an immunosuppresive micro-environment that inhibits killing of cancerous cells. TAMs have been associated with poor prognosis of cancer patients on immunotherapy. Thus a potential cancer therapeutic strategy...
Measles induced immunological amnesia
Epidemiological studies have associated measles infection with increased childhood morbidity and mortality up to 5 years post-infection. This association could be due “immunological amnesia” where measles infection has been reported to deplete of memory B and T cells, as well as plasma cells. However, to date, no studies have directly demonstrated measles...
SEPSIS is WANTED!
Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction due to a dysregulated host response to infection (Singer et al., 2016). Sepsis is actually recognised as a major global health problem, and the World Health Assembly has urged member states to strengthen efforts to identify, document, prevent, and treat sepsis.
Discovery of novel cancer signalling mechanism
Active mutations in KIT tyrosine kinase are found in several cancers, such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, the different locations in the AML cells where KIT induces cancer-specific signaling remain unclear. Scientists from Japan aimed to...