StemCell Therapy

The antibiotic vancomycin alters the gut microbiome in a way that can help prime the immune system to more effectively attack tumor cells after radiation therapy. A new study in mice from researchers at theAbramson Cancer Center found giving a dose of the common antibiotic not only helped immune cells kill tumors that were directly treated with radiation, but also kill cancer cells that were further away in the body, paving the way for researchers to test the approach in a human clinical trial. The findings are published inTheJournal of Clinical Investigation.

In recent years, multiple studies have shown that giving patients higher doses of radiation over the course of fewer treatmentscalled hypo-fractionated radiotherapycan induce a stronger immune response in patients. In addition, hypo-fractionated doses have the ability to impact other tumors cells in the body that werent directly treated with radiation. This is known as the abscopal effect.

Our study shows that vancomycin seems to boost the effect of the hypo-fractionated radiation itself on the targeted tumor site while also aiding the abscopal effect, helping the immune system fight tumors away from the treatment site, says the studys senior authorAndrea Facciabene, an associate professor of radiation oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Facciabene and his team chose vancomycin for a few specific reasons. First, it mostly targets gram-positive bacteria, making it disruptive to the gut microbiome. Second, its a large molecule, which means it stays in the gut and does not circulate to the rest of the body the way other antibiotics do. The fact that it is not systemic limits the impact it has on the rest of the bodys microbiome.

Read more at Penn Medicine News.

Visit link:
The new tool in fighting cancer: Antibiotics - Penn: Office of University Communications

A specific fragment of a protein secreted by the parasitic worm liver fluke (Fasciola) has been found to protect the articular cartilage of joints from being destroyed by the bodys aberrant immune system, thus preventing rheumatoid arthritis from progressing. Besides protecting the cartilage from further destruction, the team of researchers from the Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI) also found that the protein prevented the joint bone from being destroyed. In rheumatoid arthritis, the joint bone starts getting destroyed following cartilage destruction.

Liver flukes secrete certain specialised proteins that help the parasites to evade recognition by the host immune system and also blunt the killing machinery of the immune system by dialling down the inflammatory responses.

The protein Fasciola helminth defence molecule-1 (FhHDM-1) secreted by liver fluke has similarity with a human protein that mitigates inflammatory responses. So the team led by Naibedya Chattopadhyay isolated a specific fragment of this protein having a high anti-inflammatory function. They then synthesised and tested it in a cell culture system followed by animal testing.

The results were published in FASEB Journal.

A mouse model that is vulnerable to rheumatoid arthritis was used for testing the protective effect of the protein. The type-II collagen protein the major component present in the cartilage matrix of the joints but not as a whole protein seen in blood was introduced in large quantities to trigger an autoimmune response. With this, the process of cartilage destruction was set in motion.

Twenty days after introducing the antigen protein to trigger an autoimmune response, the researchers introduced the synthesised peptide every second day to evaluate its potential to protect the collagen from destruction. The peptide rapidly stopped further damage to the cartilage. The cartilage that has already been damaged was not repaired because the damage is irreversible in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, says Yasir Akhtar Khan from the Department of Zoology at the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, and the first author of the paper. Besides preventing cartilage destruction, the peptide also prevented the joint bone from destruction.

The cartilage of animals that only received the type II collagen but not the peptide was completely destroyed by the end of the experiment (46 days), while the cartilage of the treatment group that received the peptide for four weeks was protected from further damage.

The effect of treatment in controlling cartilage destruction was assessed externally during the course of treatment by measuring paw swelling every day. By 25 days of treatment, there was complete abolition of paw swelling compared with the diseased animals that did not receive any treatment, says Dr. Khan. All the animals were sacrificed at the end of 46 days and the joints examined.

There was extensive structural damage to the cartilage in mice that did not receive the peptide. The barrier that insulates the cartilage was destroyed leading to disease progression, he says. In the treatment group, the barrier was intact and comparable to the control group that did not have rheumatoid arthritis. We also did not see any immune cells in the joints of the treated animals.

In contrast to the currently used anti-rheumatic drug (methotrexate), the biggest advantage of using the liver fluke peptide is that it does not produce a wholesale suppression of the immune system. Even the monoclonal antibodies that act against individual inflammatory molecules have inherent problems. For instance, the monoclonal antibodies target and suppress the tumour necrosis factor (TNF alpha), which is the first line of defence against Mycobacterium. In the Indian context, the anti-rheumatic drug and even the monoclonal antibodies that target TNF alpha will leave the person susceptible to infections, including TB.

The liver fluke peptide only produces selective protection to the joints and does not alter the systemic immune system. So the bodys ability to combat bacterial pathogens will remain intact. Dr. Chattopadhyay says. We are yet to study the mechanism of selective joint protection (cartilage and bone) provided by the peptide.

Thus, in the Indian scenario, the peptide that specifically prevents joint inflammation and destruction without affecting the bodys overall immune function might prove a game-changer in treating rheumatoid arthritis if further tests and trials find it effective.

You have reached your limit for free articles this month.

Register to The Hindu for free and get unlimited access for 30 days.

Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.

Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.

A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.

Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.

A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.

We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.

Not convinced? Know why you should pay for news.

*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper ,crossword, iPhone, iPad mobile applications and print. Our plans enhance your reading experience.

See the original post here:
New molecule for rheumatoid arthritis may be effective in preventing cartilage destruction - The Hindu

Basic ingredients and dietary supplements such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast can have functional properties in the diet and yield satisfactory results when added to feed as active cells (autolysed or hydrolysed) inactive cells or as cell wall components.

It is known that the fermentation environment that will provide the fundamental differences in the final product composition is more important than yeast strain. The strains used in sugarcane processing to obtain ethanol will result in a product with a higher -glucans concentration. Yeast culture goes through numerous fermentation cycles, which makes cell wall denser, resulting in higher carbohydrate rates and lower fat content, making it less digestible in the gastrointestinal tract.

Photo: Henk Riswick

With the restrictions imposed by regulations in Brazil and abroad, as well as the demand of the consumer market for natural and healthy products in animal feed, several alternatives have been tested and used in the animal industry. However, many factors are considered by producers to obtain the highest cost-effectiveness, such as the action of these compounds on animal metabolis.

Natural additives found on the market are capable of providing compounds that stimulate the body to respond more efficiently to the stressful stimuli imposed in the field. Among the options available, ImmunoWall and Hilyses stand out for being natural Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast-based products, with no use restrictions to any animal species.

ImmunoWall is composed of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall and contains a high concentration of -glucans (> 35%) and mannan-oligosaccharides, MOS (~ 20%). Due to the processing conditions to which cells are subjected, the wall becomes denser compared to other yeast cell walls on the market. This yeast cell wall structure is resistant to degradation by digestive tract enzymes and bacteria, and its resistance to digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and fermentation in the large intestine are one of the main criteria for its use as prebiotic. Prebiotics are considered excellent contributors to animal health because they stimulate the immune system and contribute to intestinal mucosa integrity, prevent adhesion of enteropathogenic microorganisms, and have the ability to bind and inactivate mycotoxins in the intestinal lumen.

Mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) is known for its ability to agglutinate pathogens. By providing a binding site for harmful bacteria present in the intestinal tract that have type 1 and 4 fimbriae, MOS prevents the colonisation of pathogens in the intestine. Since -glucans are not digested, trapped bacteria are excreted with faecal material. Importantly, to achieve full functionality, yeast cell walls must have low digestibility in the intestine. -glucans constitute the indigestible portion of the yeast cell wall so that the higher its concentration, the lower yeast cell wall digestibility.

-glucans are considered immunomodulators that improve immune response effectiveness and agility in animals. These polysaccharides are natural and effective stimulants of the innate immune system, and phagocytic cells, when in contact with -glucans, are stimulated, producing cytokines. Cytokine production provokes a chain reaction, improving animal immunity and allowing the body to fight opportunistic infections. One of these immune system reactions is the increased number of goblet cells responsible for mucus production. With increased mucus production and release in the intestinal lumen, the mucosa (villus protection barrier and the medium that allows the action of various enzymes) increases, providing greater protection to intestinal cells and villi.

Dietary nucleotide supplementation has been studied in several species, and although not considered essential nutrients, these additives play an important role in various metabolic processes and, in particular, in some body tissues and stages of animal life characterised by very high energetic demand due to high cell multiplication.

Free nucleosides and nucleotides can be immediately absorbed by enterocytes in the intestine, and are especially important for rapidly multiplying tissues and due to limited de novo synthesis (major nucleotide production pathway), such as intestinal epithelial cells, blood cells, hepatocytes and cells of the immune system. And this occurs especially in animals undergoing fast-growing stages (early stages), reproduction, stress, and challenges.

Hilyses is a great natural choice of exogenous free nucleosides and nucleotides, obtained through the processing of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast used in the fermentation of sugarcane to obtain ethanol. The process consists of cell autolysis (cell membrane rupture), where intracellular content is extravasated, and after this process, some specific enzymes are inserted for hydrolysis (breakdown) of RNA into nucleotides and nucleosides (which form the nitrogenous bases of the structure). This end product is highly digestible as it contains amino acids, peptides, and short-chain polypeptides and glutamine, and is highly recommended for animal nutrition. It also contains mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS, an effective tool against Salmonella and E. coli.) and high levels of -glucans (immunomodulators that stimulate the innate immune system for a faster and more effective response).

Supplementing diets with natural additives that provide support for animals to better respond to the challenges posed by the field is fundamental in farming systems. ImmunoWall and Hilyses act as prophylactic agents, increasing animal resistance, minimising contamination and high mortality rates, and improving weight gain and health. In highly challenging environments, such as in intensive animal production, strengthening the immune system is crucial for greater productivity gains.

See the original post:
Synergistic use of yeast-based products - All about feed

At the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, MSK investigators presented the latest research on detection and screening methods for people at high risk;immunotherapy for breast cancer;and the underlying causes of resistance to targeted therapies, among other topics.

Here are some of the noteworthy studies that featured contributions from MSK investigators.

Mammography screening has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by about 30% in the general population. But in women at an increased risk for the disease, additional imaging is recommended. This group includes people who carry a BRCA or other genetic mutation. Other risk factors include a family or personal history of breast cancer, certain high-risk lesions, or having undergone chest radiation at a young age.

At SABCS, diagnostic radiologist Maxine Jochelson discussed newer imaging technologies and the advantages they have over mammograms alone for detecting cancer in high-risk women. People in the high-risk group may need supplemental imaging to improve early detection, Dr. Jochelson says.

She explains that this approach would incorporate vascular imaging techniques. These methods can highlight areas of increased blood flow, a hallmark of tumor growth. This technology includes MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography. It can find tumors that mammograms may miss. Although vascular imaging costs more and generally takes longer to perform, its use is justified in high-risk women because ofthe increased chance of finding cancer, she says.

Mammograms & Other Types of Breast Exams

Learn about the different types of breast exams that can help detect breast cancer at its earliest stages, before symptoms develop.

Its undisputed that vascular imaging is better at detecting cancers than purely anatomical imaging, Dr. Jochelson adds. She emphasizes the need to fine-tune imaging strategies based on each persons specific risk factors.

Some of the imaging approaches she discussed during her presentation include:

We need to continue improving ways of assessing an individuals risk so we can stratify them and determine which type of imaging will most benefit each patient, Dr. Jochelson says. The true test will be studies to demonstrate that these newer technologies actually save lives.

Immunotherapy that uses genetically engineered cells, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, has proven effective in treating some forms of blood cancer. So far, efforts to create immune cells that can effectively target solid tumors, including breast cancer, have been disappointing. At SABCS, MSK physician-scientist Christopher Klebanoff presented research from his lab on a novel tactic for enabling the immune system to better target and kill breast cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

We believe a major limiting challenge in successfully developing immunotherapy for breast cancer has been the identification of antigens. These are targets that the immune system can recognize, Dr. Klebanoff explains. Weve become very interested in the possibility that common mutations in breast cancer may produce antigens that can be recognized as foreign by the immune system.

The Klebanoff labs current research focuses on a gene called PIK3CA, which is mutated in about 40 to 45% of hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. It is also mutated in some HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers. Mutations inPIK3CA cause cancer cells to grow in an uncontrolled manner. In May 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration approved a pill called alpelisib (Piqray), which targets mutations in this gene. However, the drug has the potential for significant side effects, and tumors ultimately develop resistance to this medicine. Dr. Klebanoff and his colleague Smita Chandran, a senior research scientist in his lab and the scientific lead on this study, decided to look for a way to target antigens created by this mutation using immune cells designed to recognize them.

We believe a major limiting challenge in successfully developing immunotherapy for breast cancer has been the identification of antigens.

A challenging aspect of this approach was that mutated PIK3CA is found on the inside of cancer cells, allowing it to hide from many components of the immune system, such as antibodies. Physiological processes present in all cells, including cancer cells, allow mutated PIK3CA to be broken down into shorter fragments and loaded onto a molecular basket, called HLA, which is shuttled to the surface of the cell, Dr. Klebanoff says. This process allows immune cells to functionally look inside of other cells.

The researchers identified a specialized molecule, known as a T cell receptor, that has the ability to recognize this mutated PIK3CA-HLA complex. Immune cells specific for this complex recognize the target cell as being cancerous and destroy it. Healthy cells without the mutation remain untouched. The T cell receptors are matched to a patients unique complement of HLA molecules. As with a stem cell transplant, HLA must be matched for this immunotherapy to be effective.

Right now we are focused on the most common HLA types that are seen in a large proportion of our patients. The big-picture goal is to build a library of T cell receptors that can work in people with different HLA molecules and can target other common cancer mutations, Dr. Chandran explains. This work is still early and so far has only been done in the laboratory and not in humans. We are nonetheless excited about the prospect of working toward developing a more effective and less toxic immunotherapy customized to the genetic attributes of a patients tumor.

CDK4/6 inhibitors are an important class of drugs to treat estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. These drugs stop the growth of breast cancer cells by targeting enzymes that are important in cell division. They are given in addition to hormone therapy. But about 10 to 15% of people who get these drugs dont respond to CDK4/6 inhibitors, and others later develop resistance.

MSK physician-scientist Sarat Chandarlapaty has been studying why this is the case. Understanding this resistance could contribute to the development of new targeted drugs. In December 2018, he published a study that reported on two genes that play a critical role in promoting this resistance. At SABCS, he presented his latest research on this area.

Weve been delving deeper into the role of these genes, as well as others, to try to understand some of the principles that could guide the next generation of therapies, Dr. Chandarlapaty says. By working out these detailed mechanisms, we will have the tools needed to design more potent and selective inhibitors for these refractory breast cancers.

Dr. Chandarlapaty explains that because tumors outsmart CDK4/6 inhibitors in different ways, he doesnt expect to find a one-size-fits-all approach for new drugs. There are some key principles for why these drugs fail, he says. For some tumors, making a more potent drug of the same general class will work. Other tumors bypass the pathway in a way that renders many of the old therapies weve used ineffective. For them, a completely different approach is needed.

Researchers Identify Why Women May Develop Resistance to a New Class of Breast Cancer Drugs

Clues emerge about why promising new breast cancer drugs sometimes dont work and what might be done about it.

Follow this link:
Updates from SABCS 2019: Detection and Screening, Immunotherapy Advances, and Therapy Resistance - On Cancer - Memorial Sloan Kettering

Unpersuaded by hundreds of pleading and occasionally hostile parents, a state Senate panel voted Thursday to eliminate religion as an acceptable reason for New Jersey children to avoid vaccines required for school attendance.

After seven years of stalled efforts to compel better vaccine compliance and a recent reemergence of measles, state lawmakers are moving quickly to end the religious exemption that allowed 14,000 students to decline their shots last year.

The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee approved the bill (A3818) by a 6-4 vote Thursday. Even before the hearing, the measure was listed on Mondays agenda for action by the full 40-member body.

But hundreds of parents amassed outside the Statehouse in Trenton anyway. The crowds started arriving hours before the afternoon hearing. Hundreds of sign-waving, child-toting parents queued up in the first-floor hallway waiting for space inside the committee room. Before the hearing began, the audience recited the Serenity Prayer."

They said they were outraged by what they see as government intrusion in violation of their First Amendment right of religious freedom. They vowed to pull their children out of school or move out of New Jersey.

Alan Weller, president of the New Jersey chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said as doctors, we all have a responsibility to protect...children in schools who cannot be vaccinated because of a compromised immune system.

"Your right to practice religion freely does not include...exposing the community or a child to a communicable disease, Weller said.

Many opponents say they object because embryonic tissue extracted from aborted fetuses in the 1960s is used to make the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. Others said they trusted that God had created their bodies strong enough without vaccines.

I love God with my whole heart, said 7-year-old Emelia Walls of Cape May. He made our immune systems perfect. We take really good care of our bodies because that makes God happy."

Emelia, a second-grader, said she would be heartbroken" if the law passed and she had to leave school. I have a bright future ahead of me. I am going to change the world, she said.

Pediatric oncologist Andrew Silverman at Jersey Shore Medical Center asked the committee to consider his 6-year-old leukemia patient, who has undergone aggressive chemotherapy. The boys mother informed him there is a child in his first-grade class who is not vaccinated for religious reasons. Should he go to school?

Silverman said no.

The oncologists in my practice agree, unvaccinated students are a major risk, he said. Its not safe for him to attend school.

The bill would only allow children to seek an exemption for medical reasons. The state Health Department would define which health conditions would qualify, and a physician, advance practice nurse or physician assistant must verify in writing the child had the disqualifying illness, according to the bill. The law would take effect six months after Gov. Phil Murphy signs it, if he does.

The bill gained momentum in January, after a measles outbreak dominated the news. There have been 19 confirmed cases of measles this year in New Jersey, and 1,276 nationwide.

Mary Iuvone | For NJ Advance Med

People attend a hearing on a vaccine bill. The Senate health committee held a hearing on a vaccine bill, which would abolish a parent's right to reject vaccines for their children, at the Statehouse Annex, in Trenton, December 12, 2019.

State Assemblyman Herb Conaway, D-Burlington, a physician who chairs the Assembly Health Committee and bill sponsor, decided to rewrite his bill to call for an outright ban on religious exemptions as measles cases have surfaced. The Assembly changed the text without a public hearing.

After nearly two hours of tearful and bitter debate, the vote was split along party lines, with five Democrats voting yes and four Republicans voting no. Three of the Democrats who voted yes substituted permanent health committee members, raising questions among opponents that they were pulling strings to guarantee the controversial bills passage.

On balance, this is the best route we can take as a society, as a matter of public health and public safety, state Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, the chairman of the committee and a co-sponsor of the bill.

State Sen. Michael Testa, R-Cumberland, voted no, calling the legislation unconstitutional and un-American.

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale, R-Bergen, said he doesnt oppose vaccines but voted no because I am not going to take away peoples rights.

Even though I would make a different choice from the people in this room, its their right to be wrong, Cardinale said. Its their own right to follow their conscience.

New Jersey would be the sixth state to abolish religious exemptions for childhood vaccines. The five states are California, Maine, Mississippi, New York and West Virginia.

Mary Iuvone | For NJ Advance Media

Dr. Richard Roberts of Lakewood speaks in support of a bill which would abolish a parent's right to reject vaccines for their children based on their religious convictions, He holds a book he published which he said explains how vaccinations do not violate Orthodox Jewish teachings. December 12, 2019.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Read the original here:
N.J. bill to remove religion as reason to avoid vaccinating kids enrages parents at hearing - NJ.com

Cases of the flu are on the rise throughout New York State, as flu season kicked into high gear with the holiday season approaching.

Statewide , during the week ending on Friday, Dec. 7, cases of the flu have risen by 60 percent over the previous week, with 1,839 cases reported by New Yorkers. 4,989 cases have been reported statewide during the current flu season.

In the Metro region - which is considered Long Island, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster and Sullivan counties - there were 384 cases reported last week.

Locally, on Long Island, 180 new cases were reported, 94 in Nassau County and 86 in Suffolk.

According to health officials, the Department of Public Health uses multiple systems to monitor circulating influenza viruses. During the influenza season, weekly flu updates are posted from October of the current year, through May of the following year. Annual summaries are also posted for comparison. The national flu picture may vary from what we are seeing on a state level.

Flu season kicks off in earnest in October each year, though patients can still be susceptible to certain strains in September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said that reported cases tend to increase in November before peaking between December and February. Flu season typically lasts through the middle of the spring. The organization estimates that flu has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses each year in the United States and several deaths. Of those illnesses, an estimated 9 percent were hospitalized.

It takes approximately two weeks following the vaccination for the antibodies to protect against the flu to develop in the body, so make plans to get vaccinated early in fall, before flu season begins.

CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October, though there is still time to get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated later, however, can still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout flu season, even into January or later.

According to the CDC, the flu infects the respiratory tract. As the infection progresses, the bodys immune system responds to fight the virus.

"This results in inflammation that can trigger respiratory symptoms such as a cough and sore throat. The immune system response can also trigger fever and cause muscle or body aches. When infected persons cough, sneeze, or talk, they can spread influenza viruses in respiratory droplets to people who are nearby. People might also get flu by touching a contaminated surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose.

Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.

Here is the original post:
Here's How Many Flu Cases Have Been Reported In Nassau, Suffolk - Rutherford Daily Voice

David Fajgenbaum's life went into overtime the moment a priest read his last rites in November 2010.

At least that's how the Penn Medicine immunologist views his last nine years.

That belief has reshaped the way Fajgenbaum confronts idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease, a rare immune system disorder that has dealt him five life-threatening blows. It's also changed the way he goes about his life.

"When you're in overtime, every second counts. You don't know how much time you have," said Fajgenbaum, a former quarterback at Georgetown University. "It really helps you focus in on what's important and what's not important."

For a while, Fajgenbaum said he "just hoped and prayed" that someone, somewhere, would find a cure and better treatment options for Castleman disease, which kills about 35% of its victims within five years of diagnosis. Then, he realized he might be that person.

That life lesson is among several that Fajgenbaum, 34, recounts in his new memoir, "Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race To Turn Hope Into Action." Fajgenbuam wrote the book partly in hopes of boosting awareness of Castleman disease, which has not gained the notoriety of other rare diseases despite its deadly nature.

"We shouldn't either hopeortake action we should hopeandtake action," Fajgenbaum said. "I'm here on the phone because of that turning point."

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease the most severe form of the disorder activates the bodys immune system, releasing an abundance of inflammatory proteins that can shut down the liver, kidneys and bone marrow. Relatively little is known about it.

Fajgenbaum, an assistant professor in Penn Medicine's Translational Medicine and Human Genetics division, has spearheaded efforts to identify more effective treatment options for people with Castleman disease. After all, he recognizes his clock may stop ticking at any moment.

Chemotherapy can keep the disease at bay for a while, but it's not a permanent solution, Fajgenbaum said. Patients tend to relapse after treatment, creating a vicious cycle that he knows all too well.

Thus far, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration only has approved one treatment siltuximab for Castleman disease. But it only works in about one-third of patients and Fajgenbaum is not one of them.

Fagjenbaum's research and his personal experience eventually led him to sirolimus, an immunosuppressant typically prescribed for kidney transplant patients. Because the drug inhibits activated T-cells, he suspected it might put his disease in remission.

"I knew if I did not start myself on a drug, there was no way I was going to make it," Fajgenbaum said.

Under the supervision of his doctor, Fajgenbaum began taking sirolimus after his last life-threatening hospitalization six years ago. At the time, Fajgenbaum was simply hoping he'd live long enough to marry his girlfriend, Caitlin something he said he once took for granted.

"The pre-overtime mentality is that we have all the time in the world, that if it's meant to be, it's meant to be," Fajgenbaum said. "But the overtime reality is that none of us have all the time in the world. If it's meaningful and important, then that's exactly what you should do."

Since Fajgenbaum began taking sirolimus, his symptoms have not flared up.

Now, he and Caitlin have a daughter, Amelia. And Fajgenbaum is leading clinical trials examining sirolimus' effectiveness against Castleman disease. Like siltuximab, the drug appears it may help some but not all people battling Castleman disease.

That has Fajgenbaum wondering how many other existing drugs have been overlooked as potential treatments for other diseases. It's another lesson that he expands upon in his book.

"Sometimes, solutions can be hiding in plain site," Fajgenbaum said. "This drug I'm on is in my neighborhood CVS all these years and no one had thought to try it. How many other things are like that ... in science or medicine?"

Since writing the book, Fajgenbaum said he has heard from all kinds of people who have faced challenging health diagnoses, whether it's cancer or some other rare disease.

It's definitely moving the needle, Fajgenbaum said. In September, the month the book was published, more people Googled Castleman disease than ever before. And more people have donated funds to the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network, an organization he co-founded to expedite research efforts.

"It's really been, in many ways, therapeutic to be able to share my story, the ups and the downs," Fajgenbaum said. "Even writing it was therapeutic. To bring back some tough memories, to expose them and to face them."

Sometimes, Fajgenbaum said, it's best to face the tough times with a sense of humor. That's a lesson he gained from his late mother, who died of cancer when he was at Georgetown.

Fajgenbaum recalled flying to Raleigh, North Carolina to see his mother after she had a brain tumor removed. He tentatively walked into her room alongside his family, unsure what to expect. He found his mom sitting, her head shaved and partly covered by a gauze wrap.

She pointed to her head and joked that she looked like the Chiquita banana lady.

"It was exactly what we needed," Fajgenbaum said. "It wasn't what my mom needed. She was going through a really tough time. It wasn't going to make her feel better. But she knew that it was going to make us feel better. By making that joke, it kind of relieved everything. It was like, you're still my mom, you're still you."

A few years later, Fajgenbaum found himself walking around the hospital with his father on New Year's Eve. This time, Fajgenbaum was the patient. His stomach was filled with 30 pounds of fluid, the result of his ill-functioning kidneys and liver.

As they passed the family waiting area, they stopped to help a man who was laying on the floor, noticeably drunk. The man thanked Fajgenbaum's father, wishing him and his "pregnant wife" the best of luck.

"We just burst into laughter," Fajgenbaum said. "I turned to my dad and said, 'Man, you've got an ugly wife.'

"If I hadn't had my mom's example ... maybe I would have just burst into tears and gone back to my room. Rather, that's hilarious. This drunk guy thinks I'm a pregnant woman because of the size of my belly."

That moment, nearly nine years ago, came just several weeks into Fajgenbaum's "overtime" session. He's overcome a lot since and learned a great deal. But he knows there's more work to be done for him and for others.

Follow John & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @WriterJohnKopp | @thePhillyVoiceLike us on Facebook: PhillyVoiceAdd John's RSS feed to your feed readerHave a news tip? Let us know.

See original here:
His life in 'overtime,' Penn doctor races to find better treatments for rare Castleman disease - PhillyVoice.com

ST. LOUIS The blue carpet rolled out Friday night for one of our hometown heroes.

Laila Anderson had her name in lights at the Fox Theatre as they showcased a documentary about her journey.

This die-hard blues fan captivated our hearts with her remarkable journey battling a rare life-threatening disorder, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH. Immune cells grow out of control and attack the body, causing organ damage.

Laila's journey began two years ago when she started experiencing headaches and vomiting. She went to St. Louis Children's Hospital. Numerous tests and MRIs over the span of a few weeks showed her brain condition was deteriorating.

In September 2018, almost one year after her first symptoms appeared, doctors found out she had HLH. Her immune system was attacking her brain.

Laila is just one of 15 children in the world who have had a solely neurologic manifestation of the disease. The only known treatment for HLH is a bone marrow transplant.

In October 2018, Laila started 10 weeks of chemotherapy to suppress her overactive immune system and prepare for that transplant. She had her transplant in January 2018.

TOWN AND COUNTRY, Mo. - This time last year, Laila Anderson was battling a rare and potentially deadly auto-immune disease. Thursday night, for the very first time, she had the chance to give the donor who saved her life the biggest hug an 11-year-old could muster.

Her tough journey is now taking over the big screen.

Children's Hospital created a documentary called 'Laila: The Next Season,' which dives deeper into her story.

"I'm really excited to show everyone here like what happens behind the scenes, who helped me be here today," Laila said.

The 28-minute film highlights her road to recovery and being the inspiration to the Blues with their own recovery of winning the Stanley Cup.

The movie includes her doctors and Colton Parayko.

"We as a team tried to help her out try to cheer her up. For her, she showed up to our games, cheered us up," Parayko said.

It's a movie highlighting the impact of a little girl's passion to never give up. Inspiring a city in need of a reminder that anything is possible if you just believe.

"I feel like we've taught each other some life lessons, whether it be a battle for your life or a battle to win the Stanley cup. We've all been on the road together and fighting our battles together," Laila said.

The feature will air Saturday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. CT before the start of the Blues vs. Blackhawks game.

The film will be made available on the St. Louis Children's Hospital's Youtube Channel about a week after it airs.

MORE LAILA STORIES

RELATED: Laila Anderson tells us what she wants to be when she grows up

RELATED: Laila gets warm welcome at Blues game in Minnesota

RELATED: Laila Anderson to receive the Musial Award for extraordinary character

RELATED: 'It's her whole hand' | Laila gets a Blues Stanley Cup Championship ring

RELATED: Laila returns to school after 2 years

See the original post:
Laila: The Next Season | Behind the scenes of the Laila Anderson documentary premiere - KSDK.com

This past week or so, I have been plagued by a nasty cold. My sickness got me thinking about cold and flu season with Crohn's disease and IBD.Most Crohn's patients manage their disease with some form of medication: steroids, immunosuppressants, immunomodulators, antibiotics, biologics, or another type. These medications can suppress your immune system, making it harder to fight off viruses such as colds or the flu, and increasing the risk of developing pneumonia. Patients with IBD and other chronic conditions are more likely to get sick, and these illnesses can last longer than the "normal" few days. And when IBD patients get sick, they really get sick.The common cold may last a few days, but for patients with Crohns disease or otherwise weakened immune systems, it can persist for weeks and even lead to a flare-up of IBD symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests taking these precautions to avoid illness: wash your hands, wear a face mask when visiting your doctors office or hospital, dress appropriately for the weather, and avoid those who are sick.The flu, or influenza, is a viral infection, and though it shares some symptoms with the common cold, with the flu they are more severe. While an annual flu shot is recommended for most people, IBD patients should be mindful of their suppressed immune systems, which make them more susceptible to infections. IBD patients should get their flu shot as early as possible. My doctors have a

Read the original here:
Cold and Flu Season with Crohn's Disease and IBD - IBD News Today

Washington D.C. : Whenever you suffer fever or infection, the first thing you are referred to is taking antibiotics as these drugs destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria.

Antibiotics also lead to positive effect on human health. A new study has come up with the new benefit of destroying cancer and tumour cells in the body.

The study on mice has found that giving a dose of common antibiotic not only helped immune cells kill tumours that were directly treated with radiation but also kill cancer cells that were further away in the body, paving the way for researchers to test the approach in a human clinical trial.

The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

In addition, hypo-fractionated doses have the ability to impact other tumours cells in the body that weren't directly treated with radiation. This is known as the abscopal effect.

The study's senior author Andrea Facciabene, PhD, says: "Our study shows that vancomycin seems to boost the effectiveness of the hypo-fractionated radiation itself on the targeted tumour site while also aiding the abscopal effect, helping the immune system fight tumours away from the treatment site."

In this study, researchers have found vancomycin specifically improved the function of dendritic cells, which are the messenger cells that T-cells rely on to know what to attack.

While researchers used melanoma, lung, and cervical cancer models for this work, they note the approach could have implications for a wide variety of cancer types.

This study also builds off the team's previous research, which showed a similar effect in T-cell therapies, meaning it adds to a growing body of evidence.

"However, what's clear is that antibiotics play a role and can potentially impact treatments and outcomes for cancer patients," adds Facciabene. The researchers are planning a phase one study to translate this approach into the clinic.

See the original post here:
Study suggests taking common antibiotic before radiation may help body fight cancer - ETHealthworld.com

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a system that allows for real-time observations of individual cells in the colon of a living mouse.

Researchers expect the procedure to allow new investigations into the digestive systems microbiome as well as the causes of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer and their treatments.

The procedure described online today (December 11, 2019) in Nature Communications involves surgically implanting a transparent window into a mouses abdominal skin above the colon. Similar setups are already being used to allow live looks into the detailed inner workings of the brain, spinal cord, liver, lungs and other organs. Imaging a live colon, however, is a slipperier proposition.

A brain doesnt move around a lot, but the colon does, which makes it difficult to get detailed images down to a single cell, said Xiling Shen, the Hawkins Family Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Duke University. Weve developed a magnetic system that is strong enough to stabilize the colon in place during imaging to obtain this level of resolution, but can quickly be turned off to allow the colon to move freely.

This video shows green fluorescent colon neurons activated by neurostimulation in real-time. This is the first time that sacral nerve stimulation, an FDA approved therapy for colon motility disorders, has definitively been shown to activate neurons in the colon in live animals, explaining why the therapy might work.

Credit: Xiling Shen, Duke University

Immobilizing the colon for imaging is a tricky task for traditional methods such as glue or stitches. At best they can cause inflammation that would ruin most experiments. At worst they can cause obstructions, which can quickly kill the mouse being studied.

To skirt this issue, Shen developed a magnetic device that looks much like a tiny metal nasal strip and can be safely attached to the colon. A magnetic field snaps the colon into place and keeps it stable during imaging, but once turned off, leaves the colon free to move and function as normal.

A vital organ that houses much of the digestive systems microbiome, the colon can be afflicted by diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, functional gastrointestinal disorders, and cancer. It also plays a key role in regulating the immune system, and can communicate directly with the brain through sacral nerves.

There is a great need to better understand the colon, because it can suffer from so many diseases and plays so many roles with significant health implications, Shen said. In the study, Shen and his colleagues conducted several proof-of-principle experiments that provide starting points for future lines of research.

The researchers first colonized a living mouse colon with E. coli bacteria, derived from Crohns disease patients, that had been tagged with fluorescent proteins. The researchers then showed they could track the migration, growth and decline of the bacteria for more than three days. This ability could help researchers understand not only how antagonistic bacteria afflict the colon, Shen says, but the positive roles probiotics can play and which strains can best help people with gastrointestinal disorders.

In the next experiment, mice were bred with several types of fluorescent immune cells. The researchers then induced inflammation in the colon and carefully watched the activation of these immune cells. Shen says, this approach could be used with various types of immune cells and diseases to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to challenges.

Shen and his colleagues then showed that they could tag and track colon epithelial stem cells associated with colorectal cancer throughout radiation treatment. They also demonstrated that they could watch nerves throughout the colon respond to sacral nerve stimulation, an emerging therapy for treating motility and immune disorders such as functional gastrointestinal disorders and irritable bowel disorder.

While we know electrically stimulating the sacral nerves can alleviate the symptoms of these gastrointestinal disorders, we currently have no idea why or any way to optimize these treatments, Shen said. Being able to see how the colons neurons respond to different waveforms, frequencies and amplitudes of stimulation will be invaluable in making this approach a better option for more patients.

###

Reference: An intravital window to image the colon in real time by Nikolai Rakhilin, Aliesha Garrett, Chi-Yong Eom, Katherine Ramos Chavez, David M. Small, Andrea R. Daniel, Melanie M. Kaelberer, Menansili A. Mejooli, Qiang Huang, Shengli Ding, David G. Kirsch, Diego V. Bohrquez, Nozomi Nishimura, Bradley B. Barth and Xiling Shen, 11 December 2019, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13699-w

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health (R35GM122465, OT2OD023849), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (N66001-15-2-4059) and the National Cancer Institutes (R35CA197616).

See original here:
A Real-Time Window Into the Hidden World of the Colon of a Living Animal - SciTechDaily

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates released his annual end-of-year book list on Tuesday.

"I think they're all solid choices to help wrap up your 2019 or start 2020 on a good note," the avid reader writes on his blog, Gates Notes.

For a productive start to the new decade, crack open one of Gates's favorites this holiday season.

Bill Gates' 2019 holiday book list

Source: Gates Notes

This New York Times bestseller tells the story of newlyweds Roy and Celestial, a young black couple whose lives are upturned when Roy is wrongly convicted of rape and sentened to 12 years in prison.

Tayari Jones's novel is "fundamentally a story about how incarceration hurts more than just the person locked up," writes Gates. "It's also a reminder of how draconian our criminal justice system can be especially for black men like Roy."

It's not "a light, easy read," he notes, "but it's so well-written that you'll find yourself sucked into it despite the heavy subject matter."

Read Gates's full review of "An American Marriage."

In "These Truths," Harvard historian Jill Lepore covers centuries of American history in about 800 pages.

The one-volume history "is not a deep or comprehensive account of individual events or people," says Gates. Rather, the author offers "quick glimpses at major events such as America's first presidential impeachment (only three sentences) and doesn't even get a chance to mention pivotal figures such as Lewis and Clark."

He praises it as "the most honest account of the American story I've ever read."

Read Gates's full review of "These Truths."

Written by one of Gates's favorite authors, Czech-Canadian professor Vaclav Smil, "Growth" is "a brilliant synthesis of everything we can learn from patterns of growth in the natural and human-made world," says Gates. Though, "it's not for everyone," he adds. "Long sections read like a textbook or engineering manual."

But if you stick it out, you may experience what Gates did: "I marveled over all the miracles that modern civilization is built on, including power grids, water systems, air transportation and computing. The book gave me new appreciation for how many smart people had to try things out, make mistakes and eventually succeed."

Read Gates's full review of "Growth."

Author and educator Diane Tavenner is the founder of Summit Public Schools, which has been nationally recognized for its high performance: 99% of Summit students get into a four-year college and Summit graduates finish college at twice the national average.

In her book, she shares the Summit learning philosophy which is built on self-directed learning, project-based learning and mentoring and how to prepare all kids for school and life.

"Much of the book is deeply personal," says Gates. "Diane shares stories of her childhood, growing up in a troubled family. She recounts her years as a young, idealistic teacher and administrator. And she opens up about her own experience as a parent, raising her teenage son, Rett, as he navigates his path to adulthood."

Read Gates's full review of "Prepared."

Gates used to routinely pull all-nighters in the early days of Microsoft. "Once or twice, I stayed up two nights in a row," he recalls. "I knew I wasn't as sharp when I was operating mostly on caffeine and adrenaline, but I was obsessed with my work, and I felt that sleeping a lot was lazy."

After this read, "I realize that my all-nighters, combined with almost never getting eight hours of sleep, took a big toll," he says. Author Matthew Walker, the director of UC Berkeley's Center for Human Sleep Science, "explains how neglecting sleep undercuts your creativity, problem solving, decision-making, learning, memory, heart heath, brain health, mental health, emotional well-being, immune system and even your life span."

Read Gates's full review of "Why We Sleep."

Don't miss: Bill Gates: Here's how to figure out what you'll be world-class at

Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!

The rest is here:
The 5 books Bill Gates recommends you read this holiday season - CNBC

WITH schools in lockdown and businesses running on half staff, the winter vomiting bug has hit us hard. Norovirus causes vomiting and diarrhoea and is one of the most common stomach bugs around.

The symptoms of this vomiting bug include severe vomiting and diarrhoea, often alongside fever, muscle aches, and weight loss too. Anyone can pick up this pesky bug, but young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are most vulnerable.

:: How do I avoid getting sick?

Prevention is always better than cure, and although it is difficult to avoid, there are a few simple things we can all do to reduce our risk.

- Keep your immune system nourished by eating a diet packed with colourful vegetables and some fruits (berries in particular). Include some protein with each meal and pack in essential fats form nuts, seeds and oily fish.

- Take a vitamin D supplement during winter months to help support your immune function and resilience to bugs.

- Support resilience to bugs by taking a daily probiotic supplement, or consuming probiotic foods and drinks like live natural yoghurt, kefir and kombucha.

- Go to bed early and get a good night's sleep.

- Keep an eye on your sugar and alcohol intake.

- Wash your hands really well with soap and water several times a day, and especially after using the loo and before preparing or handling food.

:: How can I recover quickly?

Rest is the best healer, but here are a few ideas to help support and nourish your body to help get you back on your feet.

Rest:

- When we get hit by a bug, it tends to make us feel exhausted. This is our body's way of telling us to slow down, take it easy, rest and recover. But most of us hit the ground running again as soon as we feel well enough to get back to work. After an illness it is important to give your body a little R&R. If you can find time among the Christmas card writing and present buying, to take time to rest and let your body recover.

Hydrate:

- The norovirus causes vomiting and diarrhoea, so it is crucially important to get plenty of fluids into your body after you have been sick to help prevent dehydration. You will need to drink more than you usually do. As well as drinking water, some herbal teas can be good. Ginger is thought to help settle nausea and elderberry has been shown to have anti-viral properties.

- Once your appetite starts to pick up a little, then homemade soup is a good way to get more fluid into your system, along with some much needed vitamins and minerals to help support your immune system.

- Avoid fizzy drinks and fruit juice as they could make diarrhoea worse.

Nourish:

- Once you start to feel a little better, and can start to eat again, you may find it easier to eat little and often until you recover. Bland food will be easier on you than spicy or highly flavoured foods, but avoid foods with low nutritional value, as your body will have been nutritionally depleted when you have been sick and unable to eat.

- Easily digested foods like bananas, soups, stewed apple, yoghurts, rice, pasta or potatoes can be good foods to start with.

- Avoid caffeine, high-fat foods, sugary foods and spicy foods as these are likely to upset your stomach.

- Evidence shows that our immune system is switched down a gear by eating sugar. This comfort food, that many of us crave can deplete our immune function for up to seven hours after munching our way through a sugary snack.

Supplement:

- I would suggest taking a good quality probiotic after a bout of vomiting and diarrhoea to help rebalance the levels of your friendly, beneficial probiotic bacteria. Certain Lactobacilli strains, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, may inhibit norovirus and improve gut function following gastroenteritis. Try the Optibac range, available from pharmacies and health food shops.

Go here to see the original:
Nutrition with Jane McClenaghan: Norovirus prevention and support - The Irish News

Griffith's research team at the Menzies Health Institute QLD carried out theanalysis, whichexamined changes in systemic and mucosal immune gene expression in a subgroup of individuals, classified as either responders or non-responders based on improvement of AR symptoms in response to the probiotic supplement.

The report notes that previous evidence suggesting that probiotics can produce clinically meaningful improvements in rhinitis symptoms is mixedand may be confounded by issues related to study design.

The assessment, published in the journalGenes,established criteria of a beneficial change in the mini-rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (mRQLQ).Systemic and mucosal immune gene expression was assessed using nCounter PanCancer Immune Profiling (Nanostring Technologies, Seattle, WA, USA) kit on blood samples and a nasal lysate.

There were 414 immune genes in the blood and 312 immune genes in the mucosal samples expressed above the background threshold.

Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of immune genes separated responders from non-responders in blood and mucosal samples at baseline and after supplementation, with key T-cell immune genes differentially expressed between the groups.

The report states: "Striking differences in biological processes and pathways were evident in nasal mucosa but not blood in responders compared to non-responders.

"These findings support the use of network approaches to understand probiotic-induced changes to the immune system."

Dr. Pete Smith of Queensland Allergy Services and a member of the study team said, "our study may allow us to personalise probiotic treatment for individuals with seasonal allergic rhinitis."

Dr. Nic West of Griffith University added that the results will allow researchers to conduct targeted research to find strategies people can use during the pollen season.

Source: Genes

West et al.

Digital Immune Gene Expression Profiling Discriminates Allergic Rhinitis Responders from Non-Responders to Probiotic Supplementation

DOI: 10.3390/genes10110889

Read more:
Study: Probiotic modulation of the immune system relieves hay fever symptoms - NutraIngredients.com

An image of HIV from a scanning electron microscope. A vaccine project is in very early stages, but it's sparking interest among scientists in the field.

Ever since the AIDS epidemic erupted nearly 40 years ago, researchers have tried to make a vaccine.

The efforts typically end up like this: "Failure Of Latest HIV Vaccine Test: A 'Huge Disappointment.' "

Now researchers have come up with a new blueprint.

The method behind their potential vaccine mimics a rare process detected in the immune systems of some people with HIV a process the reduces the amount of virus in the body.

The team from Duke and Harvard behind the work, which appears this month in the journal Science, says there is still a long road ahead before an actual vaccine is ready for large-scale field trials. But scientists in the field are more optimistic than they've been for some time.

"For the first 20 years after the virus was discovered, the field tried to make a vaccine using the techniques that all the successful measles, mumps, rubella, polio vaccines had been made with in the past. And none of those worked," says Barton Haynes, director of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and a lead author of the new research. But with a virus that's constantly mutating to evade the immune system, the antibodies generated weren't strong enough to fight it off.

But in about 20% of people who get infected with HIV, their immune systems will make special proteins called "broadly neutralizing antibodies." These antibodies live up to their name by wiping out many different strains of HIV by attacking the parts of the virus that stay constant, even as it evolves.

These proteins tend to develop several years after infection and can stop the virus from replicating for a while although they don't cure people of HIV because there's always a reservoir of the virus hiding out in cells where antibodies can't reach them.

But earlier tests in animals showed a powerful way forward: When they were infused with these antibodies before exposure to HIV, infections were prevented.

But there was a problem: The protection was short-lived.

In the new research, Haynes and his colleagues use computer modeling and lab testing on mice and monkeys to figure out how to train an immune system that's not been compromised by HIV to create these special antibodies and then continue to make new, stronger generations.

"We show a new way to design the HIV vaccine to guide the broadly neutralizing antibodies to go down paths they rarely go down on their own," Haynes says. The vaccine would also train the immune system to make these antibodies in months instead of the natural timetable of years after human exposure to the virus.

The approach looks promising to Rowena Johnston, research director at the nonprofit Foundation for AIDS Research, or amfAR, who was not involved with the study. "Nature is the best engineer when it comes to working out what our immune system should do," she says.

A vaccine based on these antibodies also has the potential to be far more effective than others in development. There currently are three HIV vaccine candidates in the final stages of human testing, and they'll be considered successful if they protect just half the exposed population from getting HIV. The benefit of this new method is that because it's introducing more powerful antibodies than the other vaccine candidates, it could lead to a vaccine that is 80-90% effective, says Dr. John Mascola, director of the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), who was not involved with the study.

Haynes' team is a third of the way through developing several of these antibodies, and they'll need more types to make an effective vaccine, something they say they're confident they'll be able to do.

Mascola estimates that it will take at least another five years for an HIV vaccine based on this research to get to large-scale clinical trials.

Continue reading here:
HIV Vaccine Researchers Unveil New Strategy In Fight Against HIV : Goats and Soda - NPR

As the chilly weather sets in, viruses and germs start operating in full swing and everybody around you seem to be catching the same flu or fever! While it is impossible to actually escape from the germs in the air (or stay away from sick people), what you can actually do is strengthen your immune system, naturally, without added supplements! Confused? Here's an easy remedy to save yourself and stay protected from diseases and enjoy the winter season.Here's whyOur immune system is charged with disease-fighting antioxidants, white blood cells, and several antibodies. However, if you have a weak immune system, you are more susceptible to catching diseases or fall sick more often. Therefore, people are often advised to include certain foods in their diet to get healthy naturally and build strong immunity. One such concoction, in particular, promises super quick results and can even act as a natural protectant against cold and fever.

How to prepare itTo make this simple winter immunity boosting syrup, you will need:

-Horseradish root (1 root)-Apple cider vinegar diluted in water (1 cup)-Turmeric (1 tablespoon)-Peppercorns (5-6 or handful)-Fennel seeds (1 tablespoon)-Clove (1 peice)-Ginger ( half a root)-Garlic (a few cloves)-Orange peel (1/2 cup)-Dried elderberries (1 tablespoon)-Honey (to soften the taste)

This immune-boosting syrup can be your go-to rescue drink whenever a cold or a flu symptom strikes you. An infusion drink of sorts, the syrup contains the goodness of herbs and potent natural medicines in diluted Apple Cider Vinegar, which again, is a super healthy drink. Together, they make an 'oxymel', a traditional honey-acid balancing mixture that can fight several germs at once.

To make this drink, first, start by straining all of the spices and herbs together in a pan filled with water (2 glasses). Allow it to simmer down completely, so as the consistency sort of thickens up. Once down, allow this prepared concoction to cool down completely, before adding it to the diluted apple cider vinegar. Mix thoroughly and allow it to settle well.

Read the rest here:
This 5 spice syrup can boost your immune system this winter! - Times of India

The UAB freshman immunology honors seminar recently held a Q&A with Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper reporter Matt Richtel.

The human immune system makes my head explode, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Matt Richtel recently told a University of Alabama at Birmingham freshman seminar on immunology. This is by far the hardest subject I have ever had to explore.

Richtel, a longtime New York Times reporter, was explaining why he wrote his general interest book An Elegant Defense The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System, which the class was reading.

Richtels curiosity began when his boyhood buddy Jason Greenstein, the best kind of jock, got cancer in his 40s.

He had 15 pounds of cancer, went into hospice and was supposed to die, Richtel said through a video link with the UAB Honors College freshman seminar. However, when Greenstein who had nine toes in the grave got experimental immunotherapy, the cancer disappeared, though Greenstein later died. I didnt understand, Richtel said. What is this thing called the immune system, that they can tinker with to keep us alive?

Indeed, what is this thing, which is so complex and important in human health, development and disease? The UAB seminar freshmen are just beginning to scratch its surface.

In many ways, immunology is as challenging a major as neuroscience, another undergraduate major found in the UAB College of Arts and Sciences and at many other colleges.

Both the nervous system and the immune system are composed of a widespread network of organs, tissues, cells and soluble mediators that work together. Both systems interface with every organ in the body, as well as each other. Each plays critical roles in health and disease, and both require years of study for a student to grasp how the system works, and to tread a landslide of nitty-gritty mechanistic interactions that regulate normal function, or that misfire to cause disease, dysfunction and, sometimes, death.

Yet the two majors have a difference. Neuroscience is far more obvious. Each of us knows we have a brain. We daily experience five senses that report the world around us and convey pleasure or pain. Many of us have relatives or older friends who suffer the visible signs of neurodegenerative disease.

Immunology lacks this focus. Where or how does the immune system operate? What are its components? For most of us, the immune system is a vast, foggy landscape where many important things happen beneath our notice.

These differences explain, perhaps, why the number of neuroscience undergraduate majors has boomed in the past three decades, while in-depth immunology undergraduate majors still remain few. One of the few is UABs major, begun in 2017.

Three UAB faculty assert the need to revolutionize undergraduate immunology education in a Frontiers in Immunology paper.

The UAB immunology joint-health program in the UAB Department of Biology and Department of Microbiology is a four-year curriculum. After the freshman UAB honors seminar, full-semester courses include current topics in immunology, the innate immune system, the adaptive immune system, the microbial pathogen-immune system interaction, and immunologically mediated diseases.

The education is wide-ranging, and students also work in laboratories, readying themselves for careers in the health professions or research.

Immunology, by nature, is interdisciplinary, said Lou Justement, Ph.D., the teacher, along with Heather Bruns, Ph.D., of the honors seminar. Both are microbiology faculty in the UAB School of Medicine. It requires a knowledge of cellular and molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, physiology, and anatomy. Freshmen are introduced to medically related conceptual frameworks that continue through the four-year curriculum how immunology relates to vaccines, emerging infectious diseases, autoimmunity, allergy, transplantation, cancer and immunotherapy. Students learn how the immune system is relevant to health and disease.

Richtel took a different approach. Rather than write an immunology textbook, he put faces on the role of immunology in health and disease. Parts of An Elegant Defense tell the stories of Jason, Bob, Linda and Merredith, and the burdens they faced Hodgkins lymphoma, HIV infection, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Richtel also relates surprising twists and turns for basic researchers who studied the immune system. Its a story, he writes at one point, that begins with a bird, a dog and a starfish.

During the video Q&A with students, Richtel wore a UAB T-shirt. Most of the UAB students asked how he reported and wrote the book. One of the hardest things to do when writing is to find your framework that will pay off the reader as you promised, he said.

And Richtel asked questions right back, offering guide stones of advice for the students:

UAB freshman Chandni Modi was one of the enthusiastic participants in the Q&A with Richtel. Afterward, the Indian Springs School graduate said, Honestly, at the beginning of my high school senior year, UAB wasnt one of my top choices. However, after I started comparing my options, UAB was the only school that offered immunology as a major, and UAB offers so many ways to get involved in research.

Also, she said, I appreciated how diverse the university students and faculty are.

Go here to read the rest:
The smart-dumb question, a key to writing about and understanding immunology - The Mix

The human immune system is highly complex and multi-faceted. Seemingly an infinite number of things can affect our internal landscape and alter how our immune system defenses respond to and fight foreign invaders to keep us healthy. The misconception a lot of people have is thinking that we want a super active immune system that is like Rambo, an ultimate killing machine! Really what we want is a balanced immune system, that neither swings into hyperactivity nor falls into decreased function. If our immune system functions too high, we end up with autoimmune disorders this is when the immune system attacks our bodys cells, not just foreign invaders, if it is not functioning as it should, when exposed to germs we get sick and have to fight off an illness.

Did you know that just the time of year can affect our immune system function? Just the fact that the daylight does not last as long can cause our immune system to be less responsive. Shorter days and colder weather cause people to stay inside more, reducing the amount of natural vitamin D they make, which is a key immune system booster. An alternative for the individual not wanting to go outside is supplementing Vitamin D into their diet.

Read more here:
Seasonally Decreased Immune Function Around the Holidays - Matthews Beacon

MEDIA CONTACT

Available for logged-in reporters only

By Sarah C.P. Williams

Newswise UCLA scientists have discovered one reason why autoimmune diseases are more prevalent in women than in men. While males inherit their mothers X chromosome and fathers Y chromosome, females inherit X chromosomes from both parents. New research, which shows differences in how each of those X chromosomes is regulated, suggests that the X chromosome that females get from their father may help to explain their more active immune system.

Its been known for many years that women are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases than men are, said lead study author Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, a UCLA professor of neurology and director of the UCLA Multiple Sclerosis Program who also holds the Jack H. Skirball Chair in Multiple Sclerosis Research. Figuring out why can help us develop new drugs to treat these autoimmune diseases.

Autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, are conditions that affect the bodys ability to fight viruses, bacteria and infections. The problem causes a persons immune cells to attack the body instead.

Women generally have stronger immune responses than men, with more robust responses to some vaccinations and infections. However, this heightened immune system also makes women three times more likely than men to develop multiple sclerosis, nine times more likely to develop lupus ,and more prone to a host of other autoimmune diseases, Voskuhl said. The effect of sex hormones testosterone and estrogen in these differences has been well-studied, but the role of sex chromosomes has been less clear.

In thenew work, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Voskuhl and her colleagues focused on differences between the X chromosomes inherited from each parent. They first analyzed expression levels of genes in mice with the male (XY) and female (XX) chromosome set. They identified a handful of immune system-related genes on the X chromosome that are expressed less producing fewer corresponding molecules in the immune cells of female mice.

To further study these differences, the Voskuhl team next compared mice that had just one X chromosome either a maternal or paternal X chromosome. They determined levels of methylation the addition of methyl chemical groups to DNA in the X chromosomes. Methylation is known to turn down, or block, the expression of genes. And while the methyl groups arent part of the DNA sequence itself, patterns of methylation can be passed from parent to child. The researchers discovered that there was more methylation on paternal than on maternal X chromosomes. Finally, they confirmed that several genes on the X chromosome were expressed less when the X chromosome was of paternal as compared to maternal origin.

What were talking about here is not mutations that affect gene sequences, but instead signals that affect how the same sequence of genes are differentially expressed in females versus males. These differences would be missed in traditional genetic studies, Voskuhl said.

The findings suggest that the X chromosomes packaged into sperm and passed from father to daughter may have higher levels of methylation than the X chromosomes passed along in eggs from a mother to her offspring. This methylation dampens the expression of some immune system genes in females, making their immune activity different from males.

If you can find regulators of methylation that target these differences, you might be able to reduce the immune responses of females to treat autoimmune diseases, Voskuhl said. Going forward, when one considers sex as a biologic variable in diseases, it can lead to new treatment strategies.

More work is needed to determine whether the same is seen in humans as mice and whether the methylation differences lead to measurable differences in autoimmune disease risk. Voskuhl said the new research is an important step toward better understanding sex differences in disease, a goal that the National Institutes of Health underscored the importance of in 2016 when it mandated that researchers consider sex as a biological variable in their grant applications.

The first authors of the study are graduate student Lisa Golden and associate researcher Yuichiro Itoh, both of UCLA.

Study funders include the National Institutes of Health, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Tom Sherak MS Hope Foundation and the Rhoda Goetz Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis.

SEE ORIGINAL STUDY

See the original post here:
Father's X chromosome may yield clues to higher rates of autoimmune disease in women - Newswise

The idea of a cell therapy for Parkinsons disease starts out simple: Symptoms of the progressive disease are largely driven by the deaths of dopamine-producing neurons found deep within the brain. With lower levels of the neurotransmitter come the characteristic tremors, rigidity and slow movements.

By replacing those lost nerve cells with new dopamine producers, researchers hope to renew the brains connection to the bodys muscles and improve a persons overall motor function.

But in the brain, everything becomes more complicated. On top of the risk of immune system rejection that comes with any kind of living tissue transplant, its important to make sure the implanted cells function correctly and do not pick up any dangerous genetic mutations as they grow.

How ICON, Lotus, and Bioforum are Improving Study Efficiency with a Modern EDC

CROs are often at the forefront of adopting new technologies to make clinical trials more efficient. Hear how ICON, Lotus Clinical Research, and Bioforum are speeding database builds and automating reporting tasks for data management.

Now, a new company, Aspen Neuroscience, aims to tackle both obstacles at once.

First, the startup hopes to avoid any harmful immune reactions by using a patients own cells as a starting point. Then, Aspen plans to implement a rigorous quality control program employing whole genome sequencing and artificial intelligence to make sure the cells stay in line as theyre processed and readied for the procedure.

And to do it, the San Diego-based company is starting out with $6.5 million in seed money plus an impressive roster of names.

They are led by neurology researcher Howard Federoff, previously vice chancellor for health affairs and CEO of the University of California, Irvine health system as well as the executive dean of medicine at Georgetown University. Hes joined by Aspen co-founder and stem cell scientist Jeanne Loring, founding director and professor emeritus of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute.

Meanwhile, the seed round was led by Domain Associates and Axon Ventures with additional backing from Alexandria Venture Investments, Arch Venture Partners, OrbiMed and Section 32.

Aspen looks to combine its expertise in stem cell biology, genomics and neurology to offer the first autologous cell therapy for Parkinsons diseasewhile others in the space have pursued allogeneic routes, or therapies derived from donors other than the patient.

The process starts with a culture of the patients skin cells, which are then genetically induced to become pluripotent stem cellsor cells capable of differentiating into any other cell type in the body. These are then chemically nudged further to transform into precursor versions of the dopamine-producing neurons, which are typically found in the midbrain and regions responsible for the movement of limbs.

We can say without any equivocation that we can produce the population of cells necessary to transplant, and in a short enough period of time to have a potential beneficial impact on the evolution of the disease, said Federoff, who has also served as chair of the NIHs Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee and helped lead the U.S. Parkinsons Disease Gene Therapy Study Group.

We envisage that this will set back the clock on patients who have Parkinsons, unlike any other therapy that we know of, he told FierceMedTech in an interview.

The number of cells needed would be much smaller compared to other cell therapies and cancer treatments. The healthy human brain contains only about 200,000 dopamine-producing nerve cells, split between its two hemispheres, while patients with Parkinsons disease have lost about 50% or more of those neurons.

Aspen aims to evaluate two doses: one that aims to replace about 60% to 65% of a persons normal cell complement and another larger treatment, Federoff said.

Those smaller doses, as well as starting with a patients donor cells, help make the treatment safer to produce by requiring fewer steps. Each cycle of cell division and multiplication to increase their numbers carries the risk of introducing genetic mutations.

As the cells are grown, they are consistently evaluated with data-driven techniques pioneered by Lorings laboratory. Using whole genome RNA sequencing, Aspen will match the cells up at every stage with a genetic barcode taken from each patient at the start. This will allow them to look for changes, duplications or deletions in the pluripotent stem cell genome.

If the cells harbor mutations that are cancer drivers, we don't want to put those into people, Loring said. The only way is to check the sequencing before we transplant them.

The cells used in the transplant procedure arent fully grown; as neuron progenitors, they mimic the development steps seen in the brain of a growing fetus after theyre placed in the body as they wire themselves up to other neural structures and begin to form new networks of their own.

We anticipate that they will manufacture and release dopamine in a manner that is consistent with synaptic neurotransmission and the process of communicating from cell-to-cell, said Federoff. They will take up dopamine from synapses when it has done its business, bring it back into the cell, and prepare it for another synaptic release.

These are not just dopamine pumps, theyre real neurons, added Loring. They will genuinely replace the cells that have been lost in every way.

Aspen plans to pursue two courses of therapy, for the two major types of Parkinsons disease. Their lead candidate is for idiopathic, or sporadic Parkinsons, while their second is a CRISPR-edited version of the therapy designed to address one of the diseases most common genetic mutations, linked to about 5% of cases.

This would not only aim to restart dopamine production in this orphan indication, but also restore the damaged enzyme GBA, which is seen as an underlying cause. Federoff and Loring expect their sequencing-based quality check system will also help catch any off-target edits linked to the use of CRISPR-Cas9.

The company has yet to secure permission from the FDA to officially launch clinical trials, but the agency has signed off on Aspens plans to prepare a trial-ready cohort of Parkinsons disease patients in the meantime. This would include the initial stages of recruitment and testing, including the selection of patients capable of having their skin cells made into pluripotent stem cells.

After it receives its go-ahead from the FDA, Aspen plans to hit the ground running,enrolling at least 176 participants in a phase 1/2 study that includes a randomized stage to determine clinical benefits.

Read more:
By turning stem cells into brain cells, Aspen Neuroscience hopes to rewind the progress of Parkinson's disease - FierceBiotech