immune system tagged posts

Simply the smell of seafood can make those with an allergy to it violently ill — and therefore more likely to avoid it. The same avoidance behavior is exhibited by people who develop food poisoning after eating a certain meal.

Scientists have long known that the immune system played a key role in our reactions to allergens and pathogens in the environment, but it was unclear whether it played any role in prompting these types of behaviors towards allergic triggers.

According to Yale-led research published July 12 in the journal Nature, it turns out that the immune system plays a crucial role in changing our behaviors.

“We find immune recognition controls behavior, specifically defensive behaviors against toxins that are communicated first through antibodie...

The nanomaterial graphene oxide — which is used in everything from electronics to sensors for biomolecules — can indirectly affect the immune system via the gut microbiome, as shown in a new study on zebrafish by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The findings are reported in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

“This shows that we must factor the gut microbiome into our understanding of how nanomaterials affect the immune system,” says the paper’s corresponding author Bengt Fadeel, professor at the Institute o...

McMaster University researchers have found not only how some viral infections cause severe tissue damage, but also how to reduce that damage.

They have discovered how Type I interferon (IFN) stops the immune system from “going rogue” and attacking the body’s own tissues when fighting viral infections, including COVID-19.

Their paper was published in the journal PLOS Pathogens.

Senior author Ali Ashkar said IFN is a well-known anti-viral signaling molecule, that when released by the body’s cells, can trigger a powerful immune response against harmful viruses.

“What we have found is that it is also critical to stop white blood cells from releasing protease enzymes, which can damage organ tissue...

The level of magnesium in the blood is an important factor in the immune system’s ability to tackle pathogens and cancer cells. Writing in the journal Cell, researchers from the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have reported that T cells need a sufficient quantity of magnesium in order to operate efficiently. Their findings may have important implications for cancer patients.

Magnesium deficiency is associated with a variety of diseases, such as infections and cancer...