Immunology

If we have an allergy to peanuts, strawberries or dairy, we are quick to blame our immune systems. But when we enjoy a diverse diet without any adverse reaction, we generally don’t realize that this is also the immune system’s doing.

Most vaccines—and boosters—are injected directly into muscle tissue, usually in the upper arm, to kickstart the body’s immune system in the fight against disease. But for respiratory diseases like COVID-19, it can be important to have protection right where the virus enters: the respiratory tract.

Most vaccines—and boosters—are injected directly into muscle tissue, usually in the upper arm, to kickstart the body’s immune system in the fight against disease. But for respiratory diseases like COVID-19, it can be important to have protection right where the virus enters: the respiratory tract.

The skin microbiome plays an important role in health and disease. Researchers have now substantiated that certain skin bacteria can protect us from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation specifically by metabolizing cis-urocanic acid using an enzyme called urocanase. This enables the skin’s ability to fine-tune how it responds to UV radiation.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare, chronic autoimmune disorder that disrupts the communication between nerves and muscles. It typically leads to symptoms such as muscle weakness, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing, fatigue, and in severe cases, life-threatening breathing problems.

Northwestern Medicine investigators have discovered new intracellular mechanisms that help specialized immune cells adapt and respond to disease and acute inflammation, findings that may inform the development of targeted therapies for cancer and tissue injury, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Effective vaccines dramatically changed the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing illness, reducing disease severity, and saving millions of lives.

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have uncovered a critical, previously underappreciated role for B cells in vaccine protection. Best known for producing antibodies, B cells also guide other immune cells, specifically CD8 T cells, teaching them how to mount lasting defenses after vaccination.

A review published in The Laryngoscope indicates that climate change’s effects on pollen seasons and concentrations are contributing to increasing rates of allergic rhinitis, or hay fever.

Why are older people more susceptible to infections than younger people? Why do vaccinations sometimes have less of an effect on them? In order to better understand the mechanisms of the aging immune system, the RESIST-Senior Individuals Cohort was set up as part of the Cluster of Excellence RESIST—a study with 550 citizens over the age of 60 and 100 younger participants aged between 20 and 40, all of whom come from the Hannover Region.