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Immunology

All articles tagged with #immunology

Tattoo Ink May Trigger Rare Eye Inflammation with Vision Loss
health25 days ago

Tattoo Ink May Trigger Rare Eye Inflammation with Vision Loss

Tattoo-associated uveitis is a rare immune-driven eye inflammation that can occur after getting a tattoo, potentially allowing ink-related immune responses to breach the eye’s blood-ocular barrier. While most people don’t react to tattoo inks, some develop inflammation in the uvea that can lead to glaucoma, cataracts, or permanent vision loss if untreated. Larger tattoos and black ink may pose higher risk, and individuals with autoimmune or inflammatory conditions might be more susceptible. Treatments include steroid eye drops or injections and, in some cases, long-term immunosuppressants, but about 75% experience temporary vision loss and 17% permanent loss. If you notice swelling, pain, or redness around the eye, seek prompt evaluation from an optometrist or ophthalmologist; the number of cases may rise as tattoos remain popular.

via ScienceAlert|
#eye-inflammation#health#immunology
Two genetic twists behind rare vaccine-induced clots, study finds
health1 month ago

Two genetic twists behind rare vaccine-induced clots, study finds

A global study of 100 VITT patients shows that the rare clotting after adenovirus-based vaccines arises when antibodies that initially target an adenoviral protein mutate once on a common immune gene background, enabling strong binding to platelet factor 4 and clot formation. This two-event trigger—inheritance of a specific immune gene variant and a rare mutation in antibody-producing cells after exposure—helps explain VITT’s rarity and could guide safer vaccine designs while preserving the value of adenovirus-based vaccines.

via The Conversation|
#adenovirus#blood-clots#health
TRMs empower non-invasive immune monitoring with skin-ready microneedles
immunology1 month ago

TRMs empower non-invasive immune monitoring with skin-ready microneedles

The study combines skin-resident memory T cell (TRM) recall with hydrogel-coated microneedle patches to non-invasively sample antigen-specific T cells from skin and blood. In mice, TRM priming and recall at the skin enabled sampling of thousands of live antigen-specific lymphocytes, surpassing conventional peripheral blood assessments. In a human case of allergic contact dermatitis, TRM reactivation followed by microneedle application captured diverse immune cells and cytokines from the interstitial fluid, with sampling efficiency comparable to or better than suction blisters and better suitability for longitudinal monitoring. The approach is antigen-agnostic and could enable broad, repeated immune monitoring across vaccination, infection, and autoimmune contexts, though larger cohorts and antigen-defined readouts are needed for broader clinical translation.

via Nature|
#immune-monitoring#immunology#microneedle-patches
Stanford Study Reverses Type 1 Diabetes in Mice with Dual-Transplant, No Immunosuppression
science1 month ago

Stanford Study Reverses Type 1 Diabetes in Mice with Dual-Transplant, No Immunosuppression

Stanford researchers cured type-1 diabetes in mice for six months using a dual transplant of pancreatic islet cells and donor hematopoietic stem cells to create a hybrid immune system, eliminating the need for insulin or immune-suppressing drugs. In the study, 19 of 19 treated mice remained diabetes-free and 9 of 9 long-standing diabetics were cured, though translating the approach to humans will require overcoming donor cell sourcing and scaling challenges.

via Good News Network|
#diabetes#immunology#islet-cells
Bioengineered insulin implant hints at needle-free diabetes care
science1 month ago

Bioengineered insulin implant hints at needle-free diabetes care

Scientists report a living implant that houses insulin-producing cells to regulate blood glucose, potentially replacing injections if it works in humans; animal tests show year-long sugar control but immune barriers, safety concerns, and donor cell supply still pose challenges, with next steps including human trials and adaptive uses for other diseases.

via Earth.com|
#artificial-pancreas#diabetes#immunology
Brain T Cells Sacrifice Themselves to Halt Parasite Spread, Study Finds
science1 month ago

Brain T Cells Sacrifice Themselves to Halt Parasite Spread, Study Finds

Researchers in mice found that CD8+ T cells infected by the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii can trigger caspase-8–mediated self-destruction, killing the parasite-containing cells and preventing spread in the brain; absence of caspase-8 in these T cells leads to more brain infection, revealing a surprising protective role for T cell death and suggesting new avenues for toxoplasmosis treatment.

via ScienceAlert|
#casapase-8#cd8-tcells#immunology
Tumors hijack brain signals through nerves to dampen immune defense
science2 months ago

Tumors hijack brain signals through nerves to dampen immune defense

A Nature study in mice shows that lung cancer cells connect with nearby sensory neurons to send a signal to the brain that suppresses tumor-killing immune cells at the tumor site, allowing cancer to grow. Disabling these neurons reduced tumor growth by more than 50%, revealing a tumor-to-brain–immune axis that could be targeted to boost anticancer defenses.

via Nature|
#brain-tumor-signaling#immunology#lung-cancer
New Gut Metabolite May Cut Infant Allergy Risk, DTU Finds
science2 months ago

New Gut Metabolite May Cut Infant Allergy Risk, DTU Finds

DTU researchers identify 4-hydroxyphenyl lactate (4-OH-PLA), a metabolite produced by specific bifidobacteria in early-life guts, that dampens IgE production and lowers the risk of allergies and asthma. The study followed 147 children to age five across Sweden, Germany, and Australia, showing that early colonization with these bacteria correlates with reduced allergic sensitization; vaginal birth, exclusive breastfeeding, and contact with other infants increase these bacteria. The team suggests probiotic supplements or infant formula enriched with the bacteria or metabolite as preventive strategies, with a patent filed. Translation to preventive use could appear in a few years, while therapies for existing allergies may take up to a decade to develop and approve.

via SciTechDaily|
#allergies#immunology#infants
Liver signals rekindle aging immune response in mice
health2 months ago

Liver signals rekindle aging immune response in mice

Broad Institute researchers show in old mice that injecting mRNA into the liver triggers thymic signals (DLL1, FLT3-L, IL-7), reviving T-cell production. Over four weeks, older mice had more diverse T cells, stronger vaccine responses, and better anti-cancer activity, though the boost was temporary and human trials are needed, with the findings published in Nature.

via ScienceAlert|
#aging#health#immunology
Cancer hijacks immune cell mitochondria to boost spread and dodge defenses
science2 months ago

Cancer hijacks immune cell mitochondria to boost spread and dodge defenses

In mice, cancer cells acquire mitochondria from immune cells, weakening those cells and activating a type I interferon program in the cancer cells that promotes lymph‑node invasion. Blocking this pathway reduces spread, and the effect occurs even when the stolen mitochondria can’t produce ATP, indicating energy production isn’t required for this mechanism.

via Nature|
#cancer#immunology#lymph-nodes
Genetics shape who survives infections once thought harmless
science2 months ago

Genetics shape who survives infections once thought harmless

A Nature News feature explains that inherited immune-system mutations—and, more recently, autoantibodies against interferons—help determine why some people die from microbes that are usually harmless. Researchers have cataloged hundreds of inborn errors of immunity (IEIs) across many genes, with defects like interferon-γ receptor mutations causing severe mycobacterial disease, and autoantibodies linked to severe COVID-19 and other infections. Some mutations can even confer protection against specific pathogens (e.g., CCR5 against HIV). With incomplete penetrance and epigenetic regulation, IEIs can vary by cell type and over a person’s lifetime, prompting genetic screening and targeted therapies to prevent or treat severe infections.

via Nature|
#autoantibodies#genetics#immunology
science3 months ago

Israeli Scientist Named Among Nature's Top Ten Science Shapers

Israeli scientist Prof. Yifat Merbl was named one of the top 10 shapers of science in 2025 by Nature for her groundbreaking research on cellular proteasomes and discovery of antimicrobial peptides, which could lead to advances in cancer immunotherapy, antimicrobial drugs, and disease diagnostics, despite facing setbacks like lab destruction during war.

via The Jerusalem Post|
#antimicrobial-peptides#immunology#nature-top-ten-list