The Immune System

A study has homed in on the brain circuit responsible for stress-induced insomnia. The research suggests this same circuit is responsible for stress-related immune system dysfunction, pointing to a close relationship between stress, insomnia and weakened immunity.

Researchers have uncovered what they say is the first direct evidence to show how an immune response can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. The study adds to evidence highlighting the role of neuroinflammation in dementia and cognitive decline.

HIV is an insidious virus, hibernating inside cells ready to re-emerge if treatment is stopped. Now a team of researchers has found a way to shrink that viral reservoir by adapting a cancer immunotherapy technique to supercharge immune cells in mice.

An international team of researchers has used machine learning to produce a novel blood test that can predict a young person’s risk of developing a psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia, years before the condition develops.

A new case study is reporting the first clinically confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 re-infection. Responding to the news, infectious disease specialists suggest the re-infection is not surprising, could be rare, and may have implications for the efficacy of a vaccine.

Australian scientists have discovered a previously unknown protective mechanism bacteria use to kill immune cells, opening up potential research pathways that could help doctors fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Novel research has described the discovery of opioid antibodies produced by the immune system following chronic opioid use. The researchers suggest these antibodies may be responsible for some negative side effects seen in long-term opioid users.

New research is describing how certain species of gut bacteria can enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. The animal study offers insights into a metabolite-immune pathway that could lead to microbial therapies incorporated into immunotherapy treatments.

Immunotherapy is a promising form of treatment against cancer that can have incredible results – when it works. Now, researchers have found that blocking a certain protein boosts the effectiveness of standard immunotherapy drugs.

Initial human trial results for a promising COVID-19 vaccine have been been published. The vaccine, developed at Oxford University, has been found to be safe and induce the two key immune responses needed to protect against coronavirus infection.

New research suggests a high-fat diet and antibiotics work together to promote a gut microbiome imbalance that can lead to bowel inflammation. The study sheds light on the causal mechanism by which environmental factors can trigger IBD.

One of the many deteriorative effects of aging in humans is a decline in immune system function. But scientists may have uncovered a way to reverse this trend by transplanting a type of white blood cell from the young into the old.