Cytokines News and Research

Latest Cytokines News and Research

Merck’s MF/F Phase III study data presented at AAAAI annual meeting

Data from two Phase III studies of Merck’s investigational fixed-dose combinations of mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate (MF/F) were presented by researchers today in two poster presentations at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) annual meeting.

3 Mar 2010

Stress increases resistance to influenza infection

A new study using mice suggests that a repeated stressful situation that triggers the animals' natural "fight-or-flight" response may actually enhance their ability to fight disease when re-exposed to the same pathogen.

2 Mar 2010

Simvastatin impairs ability of macrophages to kill pathogens, and enhances cytokine production

Simvastatin might help us control our cholesterol, but when it comes to infection, it's an entirely different story says a new research study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. In the research report, scientists from Italy show that simvastatin delivers a one-two punch to the immune system. First it impairs the ability of specialized immune cells, called macrophages, to kill pathogens. Then, it enhances production of molecules, called cytokines, which trigger and sustain inflammation.

2 Mar 2010

$Visceral fat can increase fracture risk in obese teenage girls$

Visceral fat can increase fracture risk in obese teenage girls

According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), obese teenage girls with a greater ratio of visceral fat (fat around internal organs) to subcutaneous fat (fat found just beneath the skin) are likely to have lower bone density than peers with a lower ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat.

2 Mar 2010

New strategy against Botulinum toxin

A study involving the world's deadliest substance has yielded a new strategy to clear toxins from the body-which may lead to more efficient strategies against toxins that may be used in a bioterrorist event, as well as snake bites, scorpion stings, and even some important chronic diseases.

26 Feb 2010

SSRIs exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and may provide drug development opportunities for RA

A new study found that fluoxetine (Prozac-) and citalopram (Celexa-) treatment significantly inhibited disease progression of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Research led by Sandra Sacre, Ph.D. from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) in the UK studied the anti-arthritic potential of these drugs, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), most commonly used to treat depression.

25 Feb 2010

Idera Pharmaceuticals presents IMO-3100 TLR antagonist mechanism of action data at Keystone conference

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today presented data on the mechanism of action of IMO-3100, an antagonist of Toll-like Receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9, in a preclinical primate model at the Keystone Symposia conference “Tolerance and Autoimmunity” being held February 21-26 in Taos, New Mexico. Idera is developing IMO-3100 for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. The presentation entitled “IMO-3100, a novel antagonist, suppresses TLR7- and TLR9-mediated immune responses in non-human primates” was made by Idera scientists.

24 Feb 2010

New treatments for heart disease

Two studies published in the latest issue of Cell Transplantation (18:12) may lead to new treatments for the treatment of heart diseases. The first study, carried out by a team of Brazilian researchers, found that cell transplantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) directly into the heart benefited patients suffering from refractory angina.

24 Feb 2010

Nitric oxide may play key role in the pathogenesis of neonatal meningitis

Current research suggests that nitric oxide may play a role in the pathogenesis of neonatal meningitis. The related report by Mittal et al, "Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide controls pathogen load and brain damage by enhancing phagocytosis of Escherichia coli K1 in neonatal meningitis," appears in the March 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

24 Feb 2010

Study shows CEL-2000 vaccine blocks RA progression in mice

CEL-SCI Corporation and their scientific collaborators announced today that the Company's CEL-2000 vaccine demonstrated that it is able to block the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a mouse model.

23 Feb 2010

PsychoGenics announces alliance with experimental neuropharmacology expert for specialized microdialysis services

PsychoGenics Inc. today announced the establishment of an exclusive alliance with Dr. Jan Kehr, an internationally recognized expert in experimental neuropharmacology, to provide specialized microdialysis services to complement PsychoGenics’ in vivo testing capabilities.

19 Feb 2010

Gentel Biosciences launches integrated Proteomics Multi-System

Gentel Biosciences, a leader in proteomics discovery tools, today launched the Gentel Proteomics Multi-System™ providing “scan-to-analysis” functionality for multiplex immunoassays, lysate and antigen arrays as well as Western Blot, ELISA and tissue imaging, delivering multi-application value to researchers worldwide.

19 Feb 2010

GeoVax Labs presents results of preclinical study on prototype HIV/AIDS vaccine at CROI

GeoVax Labs, Inc., an Atlanta-based, biopharmaceutical company developing vaccines for diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), today announced that it presented the results of a preclinical study on a prototype HIV/AIDS vaccine at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in San Francisco.

18 Feb 2010

Eleven Biotherapeutics announces completion of $35M Series A funding

Eleven Biotherapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on translating breakthrough discoveries from science and medicine to engineer and develop innovative protein-based therapeutics, announced today it has completed a $35 million Series A financing co-led by Flagship Ventures and Third Rock Ventures. Proceeds from the financing will be used to build the research and development and business development teams for Eleven Biotherapeutics, in addition to advancing the company’s portfolio of engineered proteins through clinical proof of concept.

17 Feb 2010

Eat 'heart-healthy' oats to prevent atherosclerosis

Nutritionist Mohsen Meydani, director of the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., led the research on the oat compounds, called avenanthramides. Meydani previously has shown that phenolic antioxidants in oats obstruct the ability of blood cells to stick to artery walls.

16 Feb 2010

TB's mechanism to evade body's immune system identified

Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have identified a mechanism used by the tuberculosis bacterium to evade the body's immune system and have identified a compound that blocks the bacterium's ability to survive in the host, which could lead to new drugs to treat tuberculosis.

16 Feb 2010

Maternal obesity increases offspring's risk of developing inflammation-related disorders

As if there are not enough reasons for obese people to lose weight, a new research report published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org), adds several more. In a study involving rats, researchers from Duke University found that obesity in mothers causes cellular programming in utero that predisposes offspring to inflammation-related disorders (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and more) from the day that they are born, regardless of whether or not the offspring are obese themselves.

10 Feb 2010

Preliminary study results of ExThera Medical's Seraph extracorporeal affinity therapy published

ExThera Medical announced today that the results of a preliminary study (“Cytokines in blood from septic patients interact with surface immobilized heparin”) of its proprietary medical device, Seraph™ extracorporeal affinity therapy, have been published in the current issue of the Journal of the American Society for Artificial Organs (Jan.-Feb. 2010).

9 Feb 2010

Paloma Pharmaceuticals receives FDA approval to enter Phase I studies with P529

Paloma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has received acceptance of its IND to enter Phase I studies with Palomid 529 (P529) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

5 Feb 2010

Blood cytokine levels may help in predicting arthritic rheumatism

Levels of inflammatory proteins, so-called cytokines, are elevated in the blood even before the onset of arthritic rheumatism. This means that such blood samples could be used to predict the development of the disease and thereby make it possible to prevent the pathological process, according to an article by Umeå researcher Solbritt Rantapää-Dahlqvist and her associates in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.

4 Feb 2010