Health Problems

A new approach to peripheral nerve injury? Natural killer cells in the immune system could present a target

In animal models of a totally crushed peripheral nerve, the damaged axons are broken down, allowing healthy ones to regrow. But humans rarely suffer complete axonal damage. Instead, axons tend to be partially damaged, causing neuropathic pain—a difficult-to-treat, chronic pain associated with nerve trauma, chemotherapy and diabetes. A new study in Cell, led by Michael […]

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Immune system’s balancing act keeps bowel disease in check

Australian researchers have uncovered clues in the immune system that reveal how the balance of ‘good’ gut bacteria is maintained. The information could help in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, showed that the increased presence of a protein responsible for sensing infection – […]

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HIV RNA expression inhibitors may restore immune function in HIV-infected individuals

Immune activation and inflammation persist in the majority of treated HIV-infected individuals and is associated with excess risk of mortality and morbidity. A new study by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers suggests that use of HIV RNA expression inhibitors as adjunct therapy might diminish atypical inflammation and restore immune function in HIV-infected individuals […]

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Newborns’ Immune Systems Ramp Up After Birth

FRIDAY, Aug. 24, 2018 — A baby’s immune system kicks into high gear immediately after birth, a new study finds. Changes in a newborn’s immune system have been difficult to assess because doing so has relied on samples taken from the umbilical cord immediately after birth. In this study, researchers used a new immune cell […]