Lower levels of antioxidants may lessen damage from colitis
A new study finds that lowering the levels of an antioxidant in the colon has an unexpectedly positive effect on gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation. The paper is published ahead of print in the...
View ArticleA switch for autoimmunity
When a virus or bacteria comes calling, protein "sensors" in your cells can detect the invader's DNA and activate inflammatory responses to prevent infection. One such sensor is cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP...
View ArticleHow cytoplasmic DNA triggers inflammation in human cells
A team led by LMU's Veit Hornung has elucidated the mechanism by which human cells induce inflammation upon detection of cytoplasmic DNA. Notably, the signal network involved differs from that used in...
View ArticleInflammation trains the skin to heal faster
Scars may fade, but the skin remembers. New research from The Rockefeller University reveals that wounds or other harmful, inflammation-provoking experiences impart long-lasting memories to stem cells...
View ArticleResearchers find common mutation in the genetics behind eczema
Everyone who has ever had to endure eczema knows just how irritating the symptoms are. Now A*STAR researchers have pinpointed a genetic predisposition to the condition, opening possibilities for new...
View ArticleStudy reveals connection between microbiome and autoimmune disorders
Many people associate the word "bacteria" with something dirty and disgusting. Dr. Pere Santamaria disagrees. Called the microbiome, the bacteria in our bodies have all kinds of positive effects on our...
View ArticleSynthetic hydrogels deliver cells to repair intestinal injuries
By combining engineered polymeric materials known as hydrogels with complex intestinal tissue known as organoids - made from human pluripotent stem cells - researchers have taken an important step...
View ArticleTracking a rare and dangerous breast cancer
When you think of breast cancer, you probably picture a telltale lump. Gayathri Devi, PhD, dispels that image with a few photos: a person's chest with what looks like a rash, then a thermographic...
View ArticleGut response to fluid flow
Flow of fluids through the gut, such as milk from an infant's diet, generates a shear stress on cells lining the intestine. Ken Lau, Ph.D., and colleagues have demonstrated that microvilli –...
View ArticleResearch suggests new way to treat inflammatory gut disease and prevent...
A new study explains how a widely used drug is effective against inflammatory bowel disease and rejection of bone marrow transplants, while suggesting another way to address both health issues.
View ArticleSmoking may cause inflammatory bowel disease
A new study shows a direct effect of cigarette smoke on intestinal inflammation for the first time. Researchers in South Korea report that exposing mice to cigarette smoke results in colitis, an...
View ArticleBioactive lipids and rheumatoid arthritis
Sphingolipids – long-chain fatty acid molecules found in cell membranes – are broken down by sphingomyelinase enzymes into bioactive products such as ceramide. Growing evidence suggests roles for...
View ArticleNew insights into the release of molecules involved in inflammatory diseases
In a recent study published in Cell Reports, a research team led by Colin Adrain, from the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC, Portugal), discovered the mechanism that controls the release of...
View ArticleResearchers produce the first draft cell atlas of the small intestine
The lining or epithelium of the gut is one of the body's most diverse and dynamic tissues, an ecosystem of cells that acts as one of the body's main interfaces with the outside world. To better...
View ArticleResearchers report epidermal cell differentiation findings
To ensure the barrier function of the skin, mutual regulation of connections between epidermal cells and a receptor for growth factors is necessary. These findings can help to reduce the effects of...
View ArticleScientists unravel likely causes of blood vessel leakage in severe dengue
A protein secreted by cells infected with dengue virus can cause dangerous leakage of fluid from blood vessels, and new research published in PLOS Pathogens supports a primary underlying mechanism:...
View ArticleNewly found immune defence could pave way to treat allergies
Scientists have made a fundamental discovery about how our body's immune system clears harmful infections.
View ArticleLung cancer triggers pulmonary hypertension
Shortness of breath and respiratory distress often increase the suffering of advanced-stage lung cancer patients. These symptoms can be triggered by pulmonary hypertension, as scientists at the Max...
View ArticleMaintaining sufficient vitamin D levels may help to prevent rheumatoid arthritis
Maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels may help to prevent the onset of inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, research led by the University of Birmingham has discovered.
View ArticleDiscovery of potent parasite protein may lead to new therapeutic options for...
A single protein from a worm parasite may one day offer new therapeutic options for treating inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis, that avoid the potentially serious side...
View Article