Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 mutations L452 and E484Q do not work together to evade antibodies

A short report recently published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases demonstrates how spike mutations L452R and E484Q found in the variant B.1.617.1 of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) each confer modestly diminished sensitivity to Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies – with combined mutations having a similar impact as either one of them alone.

19 Jul 2021

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

A new study published in Vaccine assesses the safety and efficacy of the synthetic DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800, delivered as a single or double dose regime.

18 Jul 2021

Researchers isolate human monoclonal antibodies that may neutralize several norovirus variants

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, have taken a big step toward developing targeted treatments and vaccines against a family of viruses that attacks the gastrointestinal tract.

16 Jul 2021

UCSF researchers discover how the immune system may play a role in miscarriage

Researchers at UC San Francisco are zeroing in on how the immune system may play a role in miscarriage, which affects about a quarter of pregnancies.

16 Jul 2021

Researchers identify novel disorder resulting from a mutation in AIOLOS protein

Primary immunodeficiencies, such as severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), occur when the immune system does not work properly, leading to increased susceptibility to various infections, autoimmunity, and cancers.

16 Jul 2021

Psychiatric patients have higher odds of hospitalization and death following COVID-19

In the largest systematic review and meta-analysis to date on COVID-19 outcomes in individuals with psychiatric disorders, the odds of dying or being hospitalized following COVID-19 infection were determined to be twice as high in comparison to persons without mental disorders.

16 Jul 2021

Researchers find a promising avenue for more effective treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

A small regulatory RNA found in many problematic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, appears to be responsible for managing the response of these bacteria to environmental stresses.

15 Jul 2021

Researchers study the role of subnuclear NSrp70 in T cell-mediated adaptive immunity

T cells are components of the body’s immune system. The ability of T cells to recognize diverse pathogens and mount a defense against them stems from the way proteins are spliced during their development and maturation.

15 Jul 2021

Short chain fatty acids have potential therapeutic applications against COVID-19, study suggests

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is highly transmissible, with nasal passages being the target of original infection.

15 Jul 2021

Could new strains of COVID evolve in farm animals or pets?

It appears no one is safe from severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given that SARS-CoV-2 likely developed in bats and later transmitted to humans in Wuhan, China, there has been concern over animals infecting humans. But more evidence has shown that humans are more likely to infect animals — from hamsters, gorillas to the domestic cat.

14 Jul 2021

Combination of dietary isoflavones and metabolizing gut bacteria may protect against MS

A new University of Iowa study suggests that metabolism of plant-based dietary substances by specific gut bacteria, which are lacking in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), may provide protection against the disease.

13 Jul 2021

Study: Diet rich in fermented foods boosts microbial diversity, decreases inflammation

A diet rich in fermented foods enhances the diversity of gut microbes and decreases molecular signs of inflammation, according to researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine.

12 Jul 2021

Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine protects animals against lethal COVID-19 infection

In a new study assessing the potential of a single-dose, intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, a team from the University of Iowa and the University of Georgia found that the vaccine fully protects mice against lethal COVID-19 infection.

8 Jul 2021

Growing concern over SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant

A new report from Chile – currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server – reveals how mutations in the spike glycoprotein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Lambda variant can confer protection from neutralizing antibodies and increase viral infectivity rates, which means massive vaccination campaigns should be accompanied by strict genomic surveillance.

8 Jul 2021

Changes to COVID-19 vaccination strategy could speed up herd immunity

Researchers in the United States have proposed changes to the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination strategy that they say would increase the likelihood of herd immunity being achieved in the most timely and cost-effective manner.

8 Jul 2021

New biological pathway selectively controls how key immune cells mature into functional components

Immunologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have identified a biological pathway that selectively controls how key immune cells, called T follicular helper cells, mature into functional components of the immune system.

8 Jul 2021

Common anti-coagulant drug could treat emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2

QUT PhD researcher Zachariah Schuurs said the research team had identified a new binding site on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

7 Jul 2021

Researchers discover how vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia happens

A McMaster University team of researchers recently discovered how, exactly, the COVID-19 vaccines that use adenovirus vectors trigger a rare but sometimes fatal blood clotting reaction called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia or VITT.

7 Jul 2021

Can memory T cell responses to seasonal coronaviruses protect against severe COVID-19?

In a recent study published in the journal Science Immunology, scientists have revealed that the presence of CD8+ T cells against conserved epitopes of seasonal coronaviruses is associated with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). These immune cells exhibit a memory phenotype and provide protection against severe disease.

7 Jul 2021

Study addresses potential interrelations between AID/APOBECs and the SARS-CoV-2 virus

Together with their multifaceted action mechanisms, activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and so-called APOBEC proteins are important factors in the body's immune response and offer fast and effective protection against a large number of DNA and RNA viruses.

7 Jul 2021

Immunology News and Research

Latest Immunology News and Research

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 mutations L452 and E484Q do not work together to evade antibodies

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

Researchers isolate human monoclonal antibodies that may neutralize several norovirus variants

UCSF researchers discover how the immune system may play a role in miscarriage

Researchers identify novel disorder resulting from a mutation in AIOLOS protein

Psychiatric patients have higher odds of hospitalization and death following COVID-19

Researchers find a promising avenue for more effective treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Researchers study the role of subnuclear NSrp70 in T cell-mediated adaptive immunity

Short chain fatty acids have potential therapeutic applications against COVID-19, study suggests

Could new strains of COVID evolve in farm animals or pets?

Combination of dietary isoflavones and metabolizing gut bacteria may protect against MS

Study: Diet rich in fermented foods boosts microbial diversity, decreases inflammation

Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine protects animals against lethal COVID-19 infection

Growing concern over SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant

Changes to COVID-19 vaccination strategy could speed up herd immunity

New biological pathway selectively controls how key immune cells mature into functional components

Common anti-coagulant drug could treat emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers discover how vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia happens

Can memory T cell responses to seasonal coronaviruses protect against severe COVID-19?

Study addresses potential interrelations between AID/APOBECs and the SARS-CoV-2 virus

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