All Immunology articles
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NewsBacterial lipa gene linked to stronger virulence and immune disruption in catfish
A bacterial metabolic gene may help Plesiomonas shigelloides become more damaging during fish infections. Increasing lipa expression strengthened bacterial attachment and biofilm formation, worsened disease symptoms in catfish and triggered substantial changes in the host immune response.
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NewsGenetic variant may increase the risk of pneumonia
A common genetic variant can weaken the lungs’ defences against bacteria and increase the risk of pneumonia, reveals a new study. The researchers have also discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which the immune system in the airways detects and combats bacteria.
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NewsGut microbe remote-controls breast cancer — and one enzyme switch can cut the connection
A multidisciplinary team identifies Ruminococcus lactaris as a key tumor-promoting gut bacterium that produces UDP-GlcNAc to hijack the host O-GlcNAcylation system, driving breast cancer progression via an OGT–NFIB–KIT positive-feedback loop.
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NewsBiomimetic nanoparticles target infection, inflammation and bone loss in periodontitis
A new biomimetic nanoparticle treatment for periodontitis is designed to tackle infection, inflammation and tissue damage at the same time. In laboratory and rat studies, the system killed key periodontal bacteria, shifted immune responses towards repair and reduced bone loss.
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NewsQ&A: How do infections get past the placenta’s defenses?
For nine months, the placenta is the primary support system of the fetus, providing both nourishment and protection. Within hours of birth, it is usually discarded as medical waste. But this organ carries clues for the child’s future health and additional pregnancies for the mother.
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OpinionMaybe Vitamin C isn’t just expensive urine after all
“Expensive urine” has become a convenient way of dismissing vitamin supplements taken in doses beyond what our bodies have an immediate need for. But if some unabsorbed vitamin C remains in the gastrointestinal tract, it raises an interesting question about how it could be interacting with the gut microbiome.
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NewsViral inflammation may disrupt the uterine lining and impair placental development
Viral infections early in pregnancy may disrupt the way the uterine lining prepares for implantation, with effects that can persist throughout pregnancy. In cell, mouse and 3D uterine models, researchers found that inflammation reduced decidualization and was linked to abnormal placental development and smaller fetuses.
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NewsIndustrialisation may be reshaping the evolution of our gut bacteria
Gut bacteria living in industrialised societies appear to be evolving differently from those in non-industrialised populations. Researchers found that strains from industrialised hosts had recently acquired more genes, mostly through horizontal gene transfer, suggesting that modern lifestyles may be reshaping microbial evolution inside us.
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NewsHow human cells slow down the Ebola virus
Human cells may possess a previously underappreciated defence against Ebola virus infection. Researchers found that the cell-surface protein CD81 can restrict viral entry and replication, while Ebola appears to use two of its own proteins to counteract this protective mechanism.
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NewsBreast milk sugar may help protect newborns from jaundice
A sugar naturally found in breast milk may help newborn intestines mature and process bilirubin, the compound that builds up during jaundice. In mice, loss of 3’-sialyllactose disrupted gut development, worsened hyperbilirubinemia and was linked to greater intestinal vulnerability later in life.
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NewsLow-level lead exposure linked to higher strep throat risk in children
Even relatively low levels of lead exposure may be linked to a higher risk of strep throat in children. In a study of more than 13,000 children, those with blood lead levels below current public health action thresholds still had substantially higher odds of a strep diagnosis.
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NewsSingle-copy genes could improve identification of closely related Vibrio species
A new genetic approach could make it easier to distinguish closely related Vibrio species and estimate how abundant they are in environmental samples. Researchers found that single-copy genes can provide higher resolution than the widely used 16S rDNA marker, which often struggles to separate highly similar bacteria.
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NewsSAA1+ epithelial cells emerge as inflammatory ringleaders in periodontitis
Periodontitis is driven not only by bacteria but by how the gingival epithelium responds to them. This study maps that response at spatial and single-cell resolution, showing that a distinct serum amyloid A1 (SAA1)-high inflammatory epithelial subpopulation (SAA1+Epi) sits at the junctional epithelium, where subgingival plaque meets host tissue. ...
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NewsHalf of long COVID patients see meaningful symptom improvement within three years
A prospective cohort study found that about half of people living with long COVID a year after their initial COVID-19 infection experienced a meaningful symptom improvement within three years, whereas a quarter experienced a complete remission.
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NewsA shield for the fungus, fuel for the immune response
In an earlier study, researchers demonstrated that albumin, the most abundant protein in human blood, can enhance the pathogenic properties of Candida albicans. It has now been revealed that this protein can also trigger an excessive inflammatory response.
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NewsGut bacteria emerge as potential targets after spinal cord injury
Spinal cord injury may reshape the gut microbiome in ways that influence inflammation, weight loss and muscle-related metabolism. Researchers have built a genome-level catalogue of gut microbes after injury and identified bacterial species that could become targets for future microbiome-based treatments.
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NewsMeasles outbreak shows how immunity gaps can unravel disease elimination
A year-long measles outbreak in Ontario was concentrated in closely connected, historically under-vaccinated communities and contributed to Canada losing its measles elimination status. Researchers warn that immunity gaps, cross-border social networks and declining trust in vaccination can quickly undermine decades of disease control.
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NewsStudy shows how pre-existing immunity shapes second dengue infections
Why can a second dengue infection be more dangerous than the first? A controlled human challenge study shows how pre-existing antibodies can either boost viral replication or help restrain it, offering new clues for designing vaccines that protect against all four dengue virus types.
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NewsGene-regulatory pathway helps T cells tolerate gut bacteria and prevent inflammation
The immune system somehow tolerates trillions of gut bacteria without constantly attacking them. Researchers have now identified a gene-regulatory pathway that helps regulatory T cells maintain this peace, with defects in the pathway triggering severe inflammation and autoimmunity in mice.
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NewsWhy do some people spread the flu while others avoid infection? Mizzou researchers investigate
Why do some people spread influenza efficiently while others barely pass it on? A new $19 million NIH-funded research programme will investigate how immunity, temperature and humidity shape airborne flu transmission, with the aim of improving vaccines and other prevention strategies.