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Our immune systems weaken as we get older, making fewer cells that fight infection and help us recover from illness and injury. Crews' lab has found that decreased function of an enzyme called ELOVL2 (short for "elongation of very long chain fatty acids-like 2") speeds up immune system changes associated with aging. ELOVL2 plays a critical role in synthesizing certain types of lipids (fatty compounds), and its abundance is known to decline with age. Inadequate ELOVL2 changes the balance of lipids in cells, impairing the development of B cells, the lymphocytes (white blood cells) responsible for making antibodies to fight...

New research may reshape our understanding of what happens to the immune system when we fast. The study on mice shows that the brain's hypothalamus controls how the immune system adapts during fasting, through a handful of highly specialized neurons responsible for making animals hungry. The study shows the brain's perception of hunger or fullness, rather than actual eating or caloric restriction, is enough to drive changes in the body's immune cells. The findings cast doubt on the current view that a lack of nutrients alone controls how the immune system responds to fasting, indicating the brain has a critical...

A component found in all fungi may provide a shield against flu-related lung damage, according to a new study. A team of scientists demonstrated that beta-glucan, administered to mice before their exposure to influenza, can reduce lung damage, improve lung function and lower the risk of illness and death. Beta-glucan is found in all fungi, including mushrooms and yeast, as well as grains like oats and barley. The scientists discovered that a unique structure of this component can boost defenses against pathogens. While most research focuses on stopping the virus from replicating, this study explored how to regulate the body's...

Allergic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies have been increasing in frequency over the last few years. They are typically caused by the immune system being hypersensitive to harmless substances in foods and the environment. Flavonoids are chemicals present in various fruits and vegetables that are known to have anti-allergic effects and show promise as natural allergic treatments. To better understand how these allergies can be treated, let's look at an interesting anti-allergic mechanism in our cells. In the intestines, specialized dendritic cells (DCs) produce an enzyme called RALDH2 (retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 2) which converts retinal, a chemical...

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare skin sarcoma known for its high recurrence rates, making treatment particularly challenging. While surgery remains the standard option, it often leads to scarring and other complications. Current in vitro models struggle to capture the complexity of the skin tumor environment, especially the role of immune cells. Due to these issues, advancing alternative therapies that can minimize surgical impact while effectively controlling tumor growth is crucial. Researchers successfully developed patient-derived organoids from DFSP tumors, closely replicating the histological and genetic characteristics of clinical samples. Using these organoids, they tested both metformin and imatinib, a drug...

I talk about the Gen-X immune system, through my own experience.

PALM BEACH, FL — Following a 6-3 ruling from the United States Supreme Court protecting him from prosecution for official acts done while in office, former President Donald Trump released a public statement in which he announced that he is now the most immune president in history. The ruling appears to provide significant protection for Trump in some of his legal matters, leading him to declare himself, as the rightful president, fully immune from everything he has ever done or ever will do. "It's the greatest, most beautiful ruling of all time, and I now have the most incredible...

Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's immune system attacks healthy cells instead of protecting them. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is one such autoimmune condition characterized by faulty circulatory and immune systems, leading to the occurrence of fibrosis (hardening and scarring of healthy tissue) of the skin and internal organs. Countering oxidative stress using antioxidant compounds, is therefore, being increasingly explored as a therapeutic strategy. To this end, a team of researchers has investigated the effectiveness of Twendee X (TwX)—a dietary supplement comprising of a combination of eight active antioxidants—in reducing oxidative stress in SSc mouse models. Prof. Inufusa says, "Studies have...

On Friday, Catherine, Princess of Wales, published a video explaining that post-operative tests revealed she has cancer and she is undergoing “preventative chemotherapy.” There may be another aspect to Kate’s story which isn’t being publicised and which Dr. Vernon Coleman discusses in the article below.He also discusses some facts about chemotherapy that you won’t read in corporate media.By Dr. Vernon ColemanSadly, Princess Kate has got cancer. We wish her a speedy and complete recovery. Just why they needed to keep the truth secret for so long is a mystery – though there may be an explanation which I’ll discuss in...

Researchers have found a way to stop active cancer cells in their tracks – meaning they can then be eliminated by new drug treatments. A collaborative research project between the University of Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) and Queen Mary University of London, has identified chemical compounds, called tool molecules, that can halt active cancer cells. Advancing Cancer Therapy Through Collaboration.. Using these tool molecules forces tumor cells from a specific type of breast cancer into a pro-senescence state – similar to a sleep-like state in which they can no longer divide or cause tumor growth. This condition makes the...

thousands of elderly COVID patients in the United Kingdom were secretly euthanized in April 2020 ... This disturbing claim came from an investigation directed by Wilson Sy, director, Investment Analytics Research Australia, and ... The alleged euthanasia claim seems unlikely because in the U.K., it is regarded as either manslaughter or murder by the National Health Service ... Having had a career in analytics, I was skeptical. I reviewed the ResearchGate investigation documentation fully expecting to find fake news. Instead, I found that the report was exceptionally well researched and documented, and the claim appears valid. The truth was buried...

CNN — Why doesn’t scandal seem to matter anymore? According to one definition in Merriam-Webster, a scandal is a “circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with it.” Yet scandal in American politics doesn’t necessarily lead to disgrace (or at least disqualification) anymore. Former President Donald Trump tested this question more than any other elected official in modern times. As president, Trump experienced more moments that would traditionally be defined as a scandal than almost any other high official in recent memory, arguably surpassing his notorious predecessor, Richard Nixon. What was so notable...

Pfizer has stunned the medical world, completing the $43 billion acquisition of Seagen, a small drug company that treats turbo cancers and barely makes $2 billion per year. The acquisition means Pfizer becomes the largest oncology company in the world, capable of treating most turbo cancers caused by mRNA vaccines. However, the nature of the acquisition has left many people scratching their heads. Why would Pfizer, flush with the enormous profits it has reaped through its mRNA vaccine, overpay $43 billion for a small cancer drug company? Pfizer does not need the cash. It will also issue $31 billion in...

Here are the top 10 major events that took place in relation to COVID in 2023. 1. FDA and CDC Find More COVID Vaccine Adverse Events, Including Stroke 2. Vaccines Cannot ‘Effectively’ Control COVID: Fauci After Resigning 3. Gold Standard Review Finds Evidence of Masking ‘Uncertain’ 4. Repeated Vaccination Weakens the Immune System, Studies Suggest 5. DNA Contamination Detected in mRNA Vaccines, and FDA’s Response 6. COVID Vaccine-Injured People Compensated 7. Doctors Can Prescribe Ivermectin: FDA Lawyer 8. Mask Mandates Return in August, New COVID Vaccines Approved 9. Final Batch of Pfizer Vaccine Documents Released by the FDA 10. Not...

Scientists have identified a new mechanism that regulates a protein key for cell survival. It appears to protect against the excessive oxidative stress that precedes the development of neurodegenerative diseases of the brain and eye. "This discovery goes beyond the commonly studied transcriptional modulation, suggesting its impact on protection against oxidative stress-related diseases and extension of lifespan," notes Dr. Bazan. "We found that Elovanoid-34 modulates the activity of the protein, TXNRD1, which is central to the initiation cascade of oxidative stress." Elovanoid-34 is part of a class of molecules in the brain that synchronize cell-to-cell communication and neuroinflammation-immune activity in...

Some unpublished data found that Bifidobacteria levels are negligible in vaccinated people.. Research has shown that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines reduce bacteria belonging to the Bifidobacteria genus, a common and beneficial gut bacteria. COVID vaccination is also linked to reduced gut biodiversity. Works by gastroenterologist Dr. Sabine Hazan, the CEO of ProgenaBiome, a microbiome genomic research laboratory, found that after COVID-19 vaccination, people's Bifidobacteria levels can fall by as much as 90 percent. Some of her unpublished data found that Bifidobacteria levels are negligible in vaccinated people. Bifidobacteria are among the first microbes to colonize a baby's gastrointestinal tract as he...

Antiviral drugs are generally considered to be a 20th century invention. But recent research has uncovered an unexpected facet to your immune system: It can synthesize its own antiviral molecules in response to viral infections. My laboratory studies a protein that makes these natural antiviral molecules. Far from a modern human invention, nature evolved cells to make their own “drugs” as the earliest defense against viruses. How antivirals work Viruses have no independent life cycle – they are completely dependent on the cells they infect to supply all the chemical building blocks needed to replicate themselves. Once inside a cell,...

In the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), glucocorticoids and IVIg are considered the primary therapeutic options. Typically, clinicians opt for either of these treatments when addressing ITP cases. A new study used a multicenter comprehensive retrospective analysis to assess the effectiveness and safety of primary single-agent and combination therapies in treating adult patients with relapsed immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). It represents the first attempt to compare the effectiveness of three treatment modalities (IVIg, glucocorticoids, or a combination of both) in enhancing platelet counts among adult relapsed ITP patients. Professor Zhang Lei said, "Our study unveiled a remarkable finding: the combination therapy...

A study has unveiled a previously unrecognized role for an essential nutrient in shaping the cellular landscape for one of the body's first lines of defense against infection, immune cells called macrophages. The findings identifying a role for the nutrient choline under normal conditions and in response to an intestinal worm infection in mice could potentially have significant implications for other models of human infection, perhaps even cancer immunity. Dr. Morgan Fullerton explains that by blocking a specific part of metabolism the research team saw an unexpected defect emerge in macrophages—sentinel cells that are one of the immune system's star...

Digesting a crunchy critter starts with the audible grinding of its rigid protective covering—the exoskeleton. The hard cover might be good for the metabolism, according to a new study, in mice. The researchers, led by Steven Van Dyken, Ph.D., found in mice that digesting chitin, an abundant dietary fiber in insect exoskeletons and also mushrooms and crustacean shells, engages the immune system. An active immune response was linked to less weight gain, reduced body fat and a resistance to obesity. The immune system is well known for safeguarding the body against various threats, including bacteria, viruses, allergens and even cancer....