All posts tagged: immune

Scientists Are Starting to Unlock the Nanoscale Secrets of the Immune System

Scientists Are Starting to Unlock the Nanoscale Secrets of the Immune System

Published by skeptic

The immune system operates at a scale scientists are only just beginning to be able to see. That new view could change how diseases like cancer are tackled. Speaking at WIRED Health on April 16, Daniel Davis, an immunologist at Imperial College London, detailed how researchers are using advanced microscopes to uncover previously invisible dynamics in the human immune system, showing that there are multiple processes happening on a “nanoscale” that was previously out of reach. That new view is already reshaping how immunity is understood. “We have discovered something that’s known as the immunological synapse, which is that lots of different protein molecules are known to trigger the immune system,” Davis said. Today’s microscopes reveal worlds that “we just had no idea that existed,” he explained. “There wasn’t really a hypothesis that led us to that,” he said. “It was watching things happen under a microscope.” At this scale, even the first moments of contact between cells look different. “When an immune cell sticks to another cell, it’s got to decide if that other …

Forever chemicals weaken the immune system in adults

Forever chemicals weaken the immune system in adults

Published by skeptic

New US research adds fresh evidence that forever chemicals may impair the body’s ability to fight infections, with stronger effects in vulnerable groups. A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to PFAS – widely known as “forever chemicals” – may weaken the immune system in adults, according to new research from Michigan State University. The findings deepen concerns about the long-term health implications of these persistent environmental contaminants, particularly as regulatory efforts continue to evolve. Persistent chemicals with long-term effects PFAS – short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a large group of synthetic chemicals used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products, including nonstick cookware, water-repellent textiles and firefighting foams. They are often referred to as forever chemicals because they resist degradation in both the environment and the human body. Some compounds can remain in the bloodstream for years. One chemical highlighted in the study, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), can persist in the body for nearly a decade. Its longevity makes it a useful indicator of long-term exposure and raises particular …

Attacks from our immune system are a cause of long covid

Attacks from our immune system are a cause of long covid

Published by skeptic

Our immune cells usually fight off covid-19, but in some cases, things go rogue SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Evidence is mounting that long covid can be caused by the immune system attacking the body. The results of four studies add to the idea that autoimmunity, in which the immune system damages healthy tissue, is a factor in at least some cases, particularly if pain is a primary symptom. This could one day lead to treatments, which are sorely lacking for long covid; there are no approved therapies in the UK or the US. “We have to take the antibodies away in patients and see if the symptoms go away,” says Niels Eijkelkamp at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. While most people infected by SARS-CoV-2 recover within a few days, some develop symptoms that can last months or even years. These vary enormously, but the most common ones include fatigue, pain, brain fog and post-exertional malaise, in which even mild activity leads to exhaustion. Researchers have identified a host of mechanisms that may contribute to long covid, …

Ruxolitinib: Landmark vitiligo cream targets immune cells that disrupt pigmentation

Ruxolitinib: Landmark vitiligo cream targets immune cells that disrupt pigmentation

Published by skeptic

Vitiligo involves paler, less-pigmented skin patches Getty Images A first-of-its-kind cream that targets the underlying cause of vitiligo will be made available on the National Health Service in England. In clinical trials, the cream significantly increased pigmentation in the white skin patches caused by the condition, but the treatment has previously been described as controversial, as vitiligo isn’t painful or dangerous. “Usually, people [with vitiligo] are asymptomatic in terms of physical symptoms, but it can cause a lot of emotional hardship,” says David Rosmarin at Indiana University, who led two trials of the new ruxolitinib cream treatment. The cream, which is already available in the US, is sold under the name Opzelura. It treats non-segmental vitiligo, which occurs when symmetrical white patches appear on both sides of the body. This is thought to be caused by the immune system attacking melanocytes, the cells that make the pigment melanin, which gives skin colour. The treatment is the first drug to be robustly tested that acts directly on the pathway that causes vitiligo, says Emma Rush at …

5 foods you should stop eating to avoid cold and flu – including 1 that reduces your immune response by 50%

5 foods you should stop eating to avoid cold and flu – including 1 that reduces your immune response by 50%

Published by Daniella Wilson

Suffering from back-to-back colds and illnesses doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of winter. While you may think that being particularly prone to colds and flu is just bad luck, there are a lot of proactive steps you can take to support a strong immune system – starting with your diet. As around 70 to 80 per cent of your immune system is located in your gut, eating foods that support gut health is a good place to start, along with eliminating foods that may be damaging to your gut and weaken your immune system response. I’m a health and nutrition coach, and these are the five foods I recommend reducing or cutting out of your diet if you want to avoid catching every cold or virus that is spreading around this season.  © Getty Images Consuming sugar can impact your immune system Sugar If you get sick regularly, limiting added sugars in your diet can be one of the best ways to support your immune system. Within 30 minutes of eating simple sugars …

Targeting the immune system may help treat a specific subtype of depression

Targeting the immune system may help treat a specific subtype of depression

Published by José Betancourt

Research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that anti-inflammatory treatments may be an effective intervention for depression, but only for individuals with an overactive immune system. The study found that when patients are selected based on elevated inflammation markers, these drugs reduce both general depressive symptoms and the inability to feel pleasure. This distinction helps explain why previous clinical trials, which did not account for inflammatory status, often produced inconsistent results. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Current treatments, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, do not work for every patient. Approximately one-third of individuals do not achieve full recovery even after trying multiple standard antidepressants. This gap in treatment efficacy has led scientists to investigate other biological systems that might contribute to mood disorders. Over the last two decades, research has increasingly pointed to the immune system. Evidence suggests that a significant minority of people with depression have chronic, low-grade inflammation. This condition is often referred to as inflammatory depression. In these cases, the immune system behaves as if the …

New research links the heart to the brain, nerves, and immune defenses

New research links the heart to the brain, nerves, and immune defenses

Published by Jenni Sidey

Arteries can narrow with fatty buildup. Blood struggles to move. Oxygen drops. A heart attack can follow, and it remains the world’s top killer. Researchers at the University of California San Diego say the usual way of studying a heart attack misses a key point. The heart does not act alone. In Cell, UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences scientists; led by Postdoctoral Scholar Saurabh Yadav and Assistant Professor Vineet Augustine; describe a linked system that ties the heart to the brain, nerves, and immune defenses. Their work builds a new picture of what happens after a myocardial infarction, also called an MI. Instead of treating the heart as an isolated organ, you can view a heart attack as a body-wide event that sets off a fast chain of signals. A heart attack sends messages your brain can hear The team describes the body as having internal sensing, much like sight and hearing. Just as eyes and ears convert light and sound into signals the brain can use, a damaged heart can send information …

Immune signal in the brain may offer new target for treating meth addiction

Immune signal in the brain may offer new target for treating meth addiction

Published by Jenni Sidey

Methamphetamine addiction has a way of looping back on itself. A rush of pleasure pulls you in, cravings follow, and the brain learns that the drug is the fastest route to reward. Yet scientists still lack an approved medication that directly treats methamphetamine addiction. That gap has left clinicians relying on counseling and support, while researchers hunt for new biological targets. Now, University of Florida neuroscientists say they have identified a key chain reaction in the brain that could open a new path: testing immune-modulating medicines as a way to interrupt meth’s grip. In a preclinical study, a team at the McKnight Brain Institute led by Habibeh Khoshbouei, Ph.D., Pharm.D., traced how meth triggers both dopamine surges and an inflammatory signal that, surprisingly, can feed those dopamine effects. “Unlike alcohol or opioids, there currently is no medicinal therapeutic approach for methamphetamine addiction,” said Khoshbouei, a professor of neuroscience and psychiatry. “So this is an important societal issue.” Identification of dopamine neurons in the VTA. (CREDIT: Science Signaling) Meth is a highly addictive stimulant. It is …

The best color bell pepper to eat if you want maximum immune support

The best color bell pepper to eat if you want maximum immune support

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Bell peppers are a crunchy and healthy fruit that add complex flavor and texture to salads, casseroles and party dips. The peppers are grown in a variety of vibrant colors, including a golden yellow, sunset orange, kelly green and ruby red. Each hue has a different taste — with some sweeter and zestier and others crisper and bitter. But many people may not know what color pepper they choose makes a difference for their health. Red bell peppers provide the best immune system boost, according to experts, with more vitamin C than an orange. “If you are looking for the healthiest choice, go for red,” registered dietitian Erin Kenney told marthastewart.com. open image in gallery Bell pepper color helps dictate both taste and nutritional benefits (Getty Images) A cup of chopped …