autoimmune disease tagged posts

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have gained a deeper understanding of the nuanced roles of JAK inhibitors, or modulators, in inflammation across various cell types and tissues. Their findings suggest a more precise approach is required to potentially expand JAK inhibitor use to a wider range of allergy and inflammatory disorders. Details on the findings were published in the December 21, 2023, issue of the journal Cell.

JAK1 is a key protein in the body that supports cell communication and controls the immune system.

It is part of a group of proteins that pass signals ...

For almost 140 years, the origin and behaviour of an enigmatic cell type inside lymph nodes, called a tingible body macrophage, has remained a mystery. Now, for the first time, scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have tracked the cell’s lifecycle and function, with implications for our understanding of autoimmune disorders.

Autoimmune disease, which occurs when the immune system attacks the body, affects 5% of Australians and has a high chronic health burden worldwide, yet its causes are poorly understood.

“In living organisms, death happens all the time — and if you don’t clean up, the contents of the dead cells can trigger autoimmune diseases,” says...

A University of Birmingham-led study shows an increased risk of patients developing illnesses including mental ill-health and heart conditions if they have a GP-inputted medical history of periodontal (gum) disease.

Experts carried out a first of its kind study of the GP records of 64,379 patients who had a GP-inputted recorded history of periodontal disease, including gingivitis and periodontitis (the condition that occurs if gum disease is left untreated and can lead to tooth loss). Of these, 60,995 had gingivitis and 3,384 had periodontitis. These patients’ records were compared to those of 251,161 patients who had no record of periodontal disease. Across the cohorts, the average age was 44 years and 43% were male, while 30% were smokers...

With insights into a molecular pathway that regulates the activity of Tregs, a type of T cell involved in immunosuppression, new research opens up possibly new avenues for treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Immune response is a balancing act: Too much can lead to inflammatory or autoimmune disease; too little could lead to a serious infection...