immune cells tagged posts

Discovery reveals how Obesity causes disease – and 2 ways to stop it

Norbert Leitinger, Ph.D. (left), and Vlad Serbulea, Ph.D., of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, have determined why obesity causes harmful inflammation that can lead to diabetes, clogged arteries and other health problems. Doctors may be able to use this knowledge to battle these chronic diseases and others driven by damaging inflammation.
Credit: Dan Addison, University of Virginia Communications

Finding points to new approaches to battling diabetes, other chronic conditions. New research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine explains why obesity causes harmful inflammation that can lead to diabetes, clogged arteries and other health problems. Doctors may be able to use this knowledge to battle these chronic diseases and others driven by damaging inflammation...

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Immune Cells can Help the Brain to Self-Heal after a Stroke

New findings indicate that a previously thought harmful inflammation in the brain after a stroke might actually support self-healing. Photo: MostPhotos

New findings indicate that a previously thought harmful inflammation in the brain after a stroke might actually support self-healing. Photo: MostPhotos Published: 15/04/2016

After a stroke, there is inflammation in the damaged part of the brain. Until now, the inflammation has been seen as a negative consequence that needs to be abolished as soon as possible. But, as it turns out, there are also some positive sides to the inflammation, and it can actually help the brain to self-repair. “This is in total contrast to our previous beliefs,” says Professor Zaal Kokaia from Lund University in Sweden. It may lead to new ways of treating stroke in the future.

When stroke occurs, the nerve cells in the damaged area of the brain die, causing an inflammation that attracts cells from the immune syste...

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