Immunology

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.

Most of the time, the intestinal immune system can recognize friend from foe, tolerating myriad foods while destroying disease-causing invaders. But for approximately 30 million Americans with food allergies—including 4 million children—immune cells mistakenly identify food as a threat, triggering potentially life-threatening reactions.

There is an urgent need for precision immunotherapy strategies that simultaneously target both tumor cells and immune cells to enhance treatment efficacy. Identifying genes with dual functions in both cancer and immune cells opens new possibilities for overcoming tumor resistance and improving patient survival.

A clinical team has spearheaded the use of CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancers. The researchers recently treated the first myeloma patient with this therapy, resulting in a very good response without severe complications. The expansion of this innovative treatment to myeloma patients offers new hope for those who have not responded to traditional treatment, marking a significant milestone in advancing health care in Hong Kong.

Rutgers Health researchers have discovered that networks of misplaced immune cells drive an aggressive lung disease, potentially opening a path to new treatments for a condition that kills 80% of patients within a decade.