immune system tagged posts

Schematic and characterization of tri-agonist compound, Indole_Lox_CpG. (a) Chemical structure of covalently conjugated tri-agonist compound (Indole_Lox_CpG) (left). Diagram illustrating how each TLR agonist (pyrimido-indole, loxoribine, or CpG-ODN) and the corresponding combinations (Indole_Lox, Lox_CpG, or Indole_CpG) contributed to innate immune activation (right). (b) Confirmation of synthesized Indole_Lox_CpG via MALDI-TOF. (c) Analysis of Indole_Lox_CpG via gel electrophoresis: CpG-ODN1826 reference (lane 1) and Indole_Lox_CpG reaction mixture (lane 2). Tri-agonist was extracted from the gel and isolated as purified Indole_Lox_CpG.

Some vaccines, like the flu shot, contain a dead or weakened version of the disease-causing pathogen...

The immune system protein SARM1 (red) extends to the string-like fibers (axons) of nerve cells in the brains of mice infected with La Crosse virus. Scientists are examining how SARM1 interacts with mitochondria in the axons to induce death of the nerve cells. Credit: NIAID

Many brain disorders involve the death of neurons, or nerve cells, but how these neurons die is not well understood. A new study describes how the activation of normally protective immune responses causes nerve cells to die and identifies the protein responsible, providing a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

Researchers from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) studied the effect of immune system proteins: toll-like receptors on neurons...

More than a century ago, scientists demonstrated that sleep supports the retention of memories of facts and events. Later studies have shown that slow-wave sleep, often referred to as deep sleep, is important for transforming fragile, recently formed memories into stable, long-term memories. Now, it has been shown deep sleep may also strengthen immunological memories of previously encountered pathogens.

Studies in humans have shown that long-term increases in memory T cells are associated with deep slow-wave sleep on the nights after vaccination. Taken together, the findings support the view that slow-wave sleep contributes to the formation of long-term memories of abstract, generalized information, which leads to adaptive behavioral and immunological responses...

The immune system produces antibodies finely tuned to antigens. Recent research describes how the interaction between T cells (green) and B cells (blue) allows this to take place. Bystander B cells and antigen appear in red.
Credit: Laboratory of Molecular Immunology at The Rockefeller University

Cell Division speeds up as part of antibody selection. Mechanisms that favor selection of B cells capable of producing antibodies with highest affinity for that invader. “2 of the mechanisms that allow high affinity B cells to overwhelm the others,” says Alex Gitlin.

During an infection, B + other immune cells form germinal centers in spleen and lymph nodes, where B cells evolve in a Darwinian-like fashion...