Skin, our largest organ, acts as a protective barrier against pathogens that try to invade our bodies while constantly monitoring for potential threats. In the skin’s outermost layer, the epidermis, reside keratinocytes, cells that detect danger and ac…
Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, infects an estimated 390 million people and causes around 20,000 deaths worldwide each year. New research suggests the skin is a major site of immune surveillance for dengue. The findings could help in the develo…
Allergy season can be miserable for tens of millions of Americans when trees, grass, and other pollens cause runny noses, itchy eyes, coughing and sneezing.
A team of scientists at Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences have uncovered a mechanism that allows certain head and neck cancers to hide from the immune system, a discovery that could change how some of the most treatment-resi…
Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience have found evidence that type-1 narcolepsy, a condition known for its “sleep attacks,” is caused by the body’s own immune system. The work is published in the journal Annals of Neurology.
Endometriosis is a painful, debilitating condition affecting 10% of women worldwide. It occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (known as lesions) grows elsewhere in the body—usually within the pelvis.
For millions of people living with HIV, a daily regimen of medications is a lifelong necessity. If they stop taking the drugs—commonly referred to as antiretroviral therapy—the virus usually rushes back within weeks. But not for everyone; scientists ha…
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. This disease prompts the immune system to mistakenly attack body tissues, particularly joints, leading to inflammation, swelling, stiffness and pain.
The mystery of how stress exacerbates atopic dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema, may be closer to being understood. A new study published in the journal Science has identified a specific nerve pathway that helps explain the link.
A new immunotherapy drug has demonstrated early promise in a recent prostate cancer clinical trial. The drug, called VIR-5500, is a “masked T-cell engager.” This type of immunotherapy ignites our own immune arsenal to fight cancer.
