StemCell Therapy

When you look at health news right now, it feels like every other headline is either a warning about the next rare disease or a tale about how flourishing gut bacteria is the secret to happiness. So should we all embrace the world's dirt, walking around barefoot in the mud, or live in spacesuits with a bottle of bleach at the ready? The very fact that we still use the word germs to describe bacteria, viruses, parasites, and whatever just attached itself to your shoe in the airport bathroom is probably one source of our collective confusion. We went in search of the answers to these seemingly conflicting reports about pathogens.

In utero, babies have rather weak, incomplete immune systems. This is probably so they can peacefully coexist with their mothers' bodies but also because in the womb, they have little exposure to bacteria. The good gut microbiotaa.k.a. the reason everyone pretends to like kombuchafirst comes from the birth canal and then everything babies are exposed to afterward. Their memory T-cells (the white blood cells that kill antigens) are also a blank slate until they've had something to fight and "learn" from.

"From the moment babies are born, they interact with the environment and come into contact with all kinds of germs," says William Shaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. "We live in a very germy world. This interaction with the germy world actually results in protection of children against all kinds of infections."

There's also evidence that exposure to microbes prevents children from developing allergies. You may have heard of the study in Sweden that indicates kids whose parents immediately sanitized dropped pacifiers were more likely to have asthma, eczema, and allergies than the children whose parents licked the pacifiers clean. (Were just going to assume the parents who sucked on that dirt are doing well too.)

A few unsettling facts: While some bacteria are part of our immune system, there are, of course, plenty of others that are deadlyand becoming deadlier as they grow resistant to antibiotics. According to the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (commissioned by the U.K. Department of Health), at least 700,000 people across the world die each year of bacterial infections, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS as a direct result of drug-resistant bacteria. The WHO says that 480,000 people in the world develop drug-resistant TB each year.

While not usually fatal, the norovirus (that nasty bug we usually call the stomach flu) is so highly contagious, it takes just 18 viral particles to make one person ill, and the virus lives on in an infected person's stool for two weeks. Herpes simplex type-1 (oral herpes) can be passed to a child simply by pinching her cheek. Also, 20 percent of sexually active adults have herpes simplex type-2.

In July, a 3-week-old baby made headlines when she tragically died from complications of viral meningitis after contracting herpes, probably from someone who kissed her when she was a week old at her parents' wedding.

"What I will say about viral meningitis in infants is that this issue is now super, super rare," Shaffner says. "A much more common cause of serious disease in children that can actually kill them is influenza."

In the United States, influenza and pneumonia are one of the leading causes of death (ranking eighth overall in 2014).

"The recommendation is to give every child an influenza vaccine," Shaffner says. "It will provideif not completecertainly partial protection. Also, moms and dads should be comforted that the lights are on in the research laboratories at night. People keep working to develop a better flu vaccine and other mechanisms of protection for our children." In case you've forgotten, vaccines are good for us all.

"You don't have to spray every computer keyboard with disinfectant, which will ruin it anyway," Shaffner says. "And you don't have to worry about picking up a phone or a dollar bill. You're not going to get killed from that. A few years ago, one of the most common questions I got was, 'What can you pick up from a public toilet seat?' The answer is nothing. That's not a risk. If it were, we wouldn't have public toilets."

Even though places like public restrooms are basically petri dishes for bacteria and viruses, in most cases, all you have to do is wash your hands to be rid of them.

Though they seem ridiculously obvious, think twice the next time you want to laugh at the handwashing instructions you see at restaurants and medical offices. They save lives. The official recommendation from the CDC is to wet your hands first; lather them up with regular (nonantibacterial) soap, being sure to get under fingernails and between fingers, for the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice; rinse; and dry.

The FDA denounced antibacterial soap as useless at best and, at worst, potentially responsible for making bacteria more drug resistant. Hand sanitizer, however, is still your second-best friend after soap and water. It doesn't get rid of dirt or kill all germsnorovirus, for example, may stick aroundbut it's better than nothing when you aren't near a sink.

"My wife always has a small bottle of hand hygiene liquid in her purse; I have one in the glove compartment of my car," Shaffner says. "And then my wife has a simple rule in our house: You walk in the front door, hang up your coat and then go directly to the sink and wash your hands. Simple rules like that really are the great protection."

So unzip your bubble and the next time you read scary health news, just remember the lyrics to Happy Birthday.

Sabrina Rojas Weiss lives in Brooklyn, surrounded by her fellow freelance writers and competitive stroller-pushers. Her work has appeared on Refinery29, Yahoo, MTV News, and Glamour.com. Follow her on Twitter @shalapitcher.

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So What Exactly Is the Deal With Germs and Your Immune System? - Greatist

It may have something to do with the hygiene hypothesis, say experts at the Cleveland Clinic. That means that effects of such parasitic worm infections might actually protect your gut.

Goj and his team settled on the pig whipworm for their product, since the parasite cant survive for long in humansand there was no evidence of them being able to reproduce in our guts. So theyre unlikely to cause any of the downsides associated with other worms.

There's actually some evidence to back this up. In fact, a small 2004 study in Gut of 29 people with active Crohns diseasea type of inflammatory bowel conditionfound that ingesting pig whipworm eggs every three weeks for 24 weeks decreased their symptom severity. The researchers say it shows that the worms can hamper inflammation in your intestines, and suggest they may be beneficial for other immune conditions as well.

But according to New Scientist, Gojs larger, placebo-controlled study on whipworms was stopped early, because a monitoring committee failed to see beneficial results within three months.

Still, his products have already been approved for sale in Thailand, and they're currently pending approval in Germany. Since its only awaiting approval as a food ingredient and not a medical drug, its creators dont have to prove that it works for those immune conditionsonly that its safe for people to take.

Even though they may be approved as a food product, that definitely doesnt mean you should start self-medicating with worms yourself.

Self-medication with any type of worm is not recommended and it is important to remember theyre not in any way completely harmless, and may cause quite severe side effects if not monitored very carefully by a doctor, Helena Helmby, Ph.D., of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine told New Scientist.

More research is needed to test how worm eggs may function as treatment for other immune-related conditions. In the meantime, try these 9 foods that will boost your immune system instead. (For more health news, sign up for our Daily Dose newsletter.)

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Would You Eat Parasitic Worm Eggs To Improve Your Health? - Men's Health

Mobilizing the forces of the immune system to the fight has changed the game of cancer treatment in recent years.

The key to success has been first identifying how cancer cells disarm the T-cell fighters of the immune system and then finding drugs to restore their firepower.

Using drugs called checkpoint inhibitors, patients with incurable cancers like advanced melanoma have shown long-term responses.

Forty percent of melanoma patients will still fail to respond to the treatment, however, which means that cancer cells must have other means ones that are not addressed by checkpoint inhibitors to disable the immune systems weaponry.

To discover what they are, a research team led by Nicholas Restifo at the US National Cancer Institute began with human melanoma cells growing in a dish, and systematically disabled every gene in the melanoma cells using the CRISPR gene-editing technique.

They then tested the ability of the T-cells fighters to recognize each one. It turned out about 100 different genes activated by the cancer were able to prevent the attack by the T-cells.

Of particular interest was a gene called APLNR. While it has been implicated as contributing to some cancers, this was the first evidence that it played a role in disarming T-cells.

If we can truly understand mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy, we might be able to develop new therapeutics, comments Restifo.

The research is published in Nature.

Link:
The cancer genes that disarm the immune system | Cosmos - Cosmos

After decades with little progress, cancer researchers have made major breakthroughs in the last few years in treatingmelanoma(the most serious type of skin cancer). The key to these advances?Immunotherapy is helping patients live longer.

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Chemotherapy which is typically a first-line treatment targets cancers directly. But immunotherapy spurs your immune system to attack cancer cells. This approach can offer new hope if you have melanoma.

Researcher and plastic surgeon Brian Gastman, MD, works with the latest advances in using immunotherapy to treat melanoma. He explains how they work.

One of the newest options is injectinga modified form of the herpes virus directly into the tumor, Dr. Gastman says.

This modified virus is called talimogene laherparepvec, or T-VEC.Once doctors inject it, the virus replicates within the cancer cells and causes them to rupture and die.

Doctors use T-VEC to treat melanoma at the skin level, under the skin or in deep soft tissues, he says.

One of the main reasons we give T-VEC is for whats called in-transit metastases, Dr. Gastman says.

He explains, Lets say someone had a melanoma in their foot. Typically, it would spread from the foot to the lymph nodes and from the lymph nodes all over the body.

But sometimes cancer cells get caught between the original site and the lymph nodes and cause little satellite lesions, he says. Those are in-transit metastases.

If its on the arm or leg, you can inject the arm or leg with chemotherapy and it will kill the cancer, but it will also damage the arm or leg, Dr. Gastman says.

T-VEC offers several advantages over chemotherapy in this situation:

Doctors still use ipilimumab, the first immunotherapy drug used to disrupt the growth and spread of cancer, for high-risk patients, but mostly as a help to other treatments. Its sometimes used alongside or after the initial treatment, Dr. Gastman says.

In this case, patients receive a high dose of ipilimumab after surgery to help prevent the cancer from coming back. Its significant because it is helping patients live longer, he says.

This is the first time that an adjuvant (helper) therapy showed an improvement in survival rates over a placebo, he says.

T-VEC and the new use for ipilimumab are the two major advances the FDA approved in recent years. Theres also a lot of exciting research happening, too, Dr. Gastman says.

Now, another immunotherapy drug called Pembrolizumab is being used a lot, he says. In 2016, there was data showing that 40 percent of stage IV melanoma patients treated only with pembrolizumab were alive in three years. Thats very exciting news.

Theres also ongoing research that finds promise in a treatment that combines ipilimumab with another immunotherapy drug, nivolumab.

The study, which focuses on patients with advanced melanoma who received this combination, reported a two-year overall survival rate of 64 percent. Early resultsshow that using the two drugs together is more effective than using either drug alone.

Dr. Gastman also notes that outcomes are improving as doctors learn more about how to prevent or better manage side effects from these drugs. The side effects, which are sometimes significant, may include:

Were much better now than we were five or six years ago at handling the toxic side effects, he says.

Immunotherapies wont completely replace other treatments like chemotherapy and surgery. But, they offer new and effective options for patients with melanoma. And ongoing research continues to make advances, Dr. Gastman says.

Read more here:
These New Skin Cancer Treatments Unleash Your Immune System ... - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic (blog)

In an Australian-first clinical trial leukaemia and lymphoma patients will have access to potentially life-saving immunotherapy treatment.

Nikola Barac, 6, with his mother Fiona Stamenkovic and brother Milan outside Westmead Institute for Medical Research. Photo: Jessica Hromas

Nikola Barac's immune system has done him no favours. Leukaemia and rare genetic immunodeficiency disorder hyper IgM have left his small body defenceless against life-threatening infections.

"I'd have a heart attack every time he had bathwater in his mouth," his mother Fiona Stamenkovic said.

"I would use boiled water to brush his teeth. We had to be very careful."

When Nikola was four years old, and in spite of his family's constant vigilance, an ultrasound picked up the parasite cryptosporidium in his bile ducts and liver.

"It was just devastating," Ms Stamenkovic said.

"I knew what it meant. I thought his liver was going to fail and he would die."

Nikola received two bone marrow transplants from his younger brother, Milan, to fight the infection. It worked, but another insidious virus called cytomegalovirus had flourished in its place.

"The medication he needed was very toxic. It was horrible giving it to him [knowing it could cause him harm]," Nikola's mother said. This time the treatment didn't work.

In a last-ditch move, Nikola's doctors weaponised the very thing that had failed to protect him in the first place. He was given two rounds of genetically-modified T-cell immunotherapy grown in Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR).

This time he was given the all clear.

"It's incredible. This thing has been a part of our lives for so long and now it's not. It's going to take a while to get used to it," Ms Stamenkovic said.

For the first time in Australia a clinical trial is paving the way for patients with leukaemia and lymphoma to access a potentially-life-saving immunotherapy treatment.

A team of researchers at WIMR and Westmead Hospital has been given the go ahead by the Therapeutics Goods Administration to conduct a phase 1 trial.

Launched on Tuesday, the CARTELL trial will recruit 20 leukaemia and lymphoma patients, children and adults, whose disease has returned despite having bone marrow transplants.

The chance of survival for these patients at five years is roughly 10 per cent.

Immunotherapy has become a promising new frontier in cancer treatment that harnesses the power of the immune system to find and attack cancer cells has yielded remarkable results in clinical trials overseas.

"The results have been incredible, there is no other way to describe it," said Professor David Gottleib, group leader of the Bone Marrow Transplant and Cell Therapies Group at WIMR and senior physician at Westmead Hospital.

"People have been blown away by the amazing response rates in people with leukaemia who had very few other choices," he said of the research field still in its infancy.

A small number of eligible Australian cancer patients have spent an estimated $500,000 - $700,000 to access treatment in US trials, on top of the cost of travel, hospital accommodation costs for themselves and their support people.

Professor David Gottleib at the Westmead Institute of Medical Research. Photo: Supplied

The exorbitant cost and limited trial places means the experimental treatment is beyond their reach for most patients.

"The long term goal is to make CAR T-cells affordable and widely accessible to Australian patients as quickly as we can," Professor Gottleib said.

"But there is still a long way to go before we can regard it as routine."

Trial participants will receive genetically modified donor T-cells fitted with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that can identify and kill cancerous leukaemic and lymphoma cells.

Published trials overseas have used a viral system to insert the receptors into the cells, stripping away the dangerous components of a virus. The exhaustive process to ensure the alter virus is safe costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

But the method used in the Australian trial will bypass the viral delivery system, Professor Gottleib said.

"We essentially take two pieces of DNA and cut and paste the receptor into the DNA," he said.

"It means we'll be able to manufacture the cells quickly and more affordably."

The technique could reduce the cost of commercial T-cell treatment from roughly $300,000 to about $50,000, he said.

But it will need to be rigorously tested.

"We don't know the answer to the efficacy question. That's why we're doing the trials," Professor Gottleib said.

"But how you get the receptor into the cells, one has no reason to think the end results should be different," he said.

The researchers will be on high alert for side effects seen in trials overseas, including the potentially fatal cytokine release syndrome, in which the T-cells become overactivated and release inflammatory chemicals that damage healthy cells.

The treatment can also cause neurotoxicity that damages the nervous system, which can cause confusion, memory loss, convulsions and other cognitive dysfunctions.

"We'll definitely be looking for those sorts of problems," Professor Gottleib said.

The new trial is part of a series of trials conducted by the WIMR researchers, aimed at strengthening immunity to infection in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and other toxic treatments.

They hope to apply for a second trial using participant's own T-cells to create the CARs among leukaemia and lymphoma patients who have not responded to chemotherapy.

The CARTELL trial is expected to run for 18 months to two years.

Patients who may be interested in participating in the trial should speak to their GP or specialist about their suitability.

The story How an experimental therapy weaponised Nikola's failing immune system first appeared on The Sydney Morning Herald.

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How an experimental therapy weaponised Nikola's failing immune system - Illawarra Mercury

Inflammation is the bodys attempt to protect itself by removing harmful substances as part of the bodys immune response.

It releases chemicals from the bodys white blood cells into the blood or affected tissues.

The process is essential for our infections, wounds and damaged tissue to heal.

However, if the inflammation becomes chronic - lasting for several months or years - it can cause problems.

Indeed, it can trigger a number of well known diseases and conditions.

Asthma

Its a condition where breathing becomes difficult, causing shortness of breath and chest tightness.

Inflammation of the air passages results in a temporary narrowing of the airways that carry oxygen to the lungs.

Rheumatoid arthritis

The conditions symptoms are caused by inflammation, triggering redness, swelling, warmth and pain.

Its initially triggered by a substance that gets into the joints that the body is trying to kill off.

Sinusitis

Its an inflammation and swelling of the tissue lining of the sinuses.

Normally they are filled with air, but if they become blocked with fluid, germs can trigger an infection.

Tuberculosis

Its an infectious bacterial disease that tends to affect the lungs.

Research has found inflammation to be behind its growth.

Periodontitis

It literally means: inflammation around the tooth

Its a common disease triggered by bacteria and local inflammation triggered by those bacteria.

See the original post here:
Immune system warning: These five conditions are because of inflammation - Express.co.uk

News Release

Thursday, July 27, 2017

NIH-funded study suggests role for specific immune cells in brain disease.

A new study suggests that T cells, which help the bodys immune system recognize friend from foe, may play an important role in Parkinsons disease (PD). The study, published in the journal Nature, was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

This collaboration between neuroscientists and immunologists provides important new evidence for ways in which the immune system can play a role in PD, a link that can be used to further define this interaction, said Beth-Anne Sieber, Ph.D., a program director at NINDS.

A research team led by David Sulzer, Ph.D., professor of neurology at Columbia University in New York City and Alessandro Sette, Dr.Biol.Sci., professor of infectious diseases at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology in California, examined the role of T cells in PD.

Drs. Sulzer and Sette, along with their colleagues, collected blood samples from 67 individuals with Parkinsons disease and 36 healthy controls. Immune cells were extracted from the samples and mixed with portions of the alpha-synuclein protein, which accumulates in the brains of people with PD and can result in cell death.

They found that T cells from people with PD responded to the presence of alpha-synuclein to a much greater degree than those gathered from the control group.

In particular, two regions of alpha-synuclein evoked reactions from T cells: a section that often contains mutations linked with PD, and a portion undergoing a chemical change that can lead to accumulation of the protein in the brain.

The researchers identified four genetic variations that were associated with T cell reactivity to alpha-synuclein. More than half of people with PD carried at least one of those variants, compared to 20 percent of controls.

These findings expose a potential biomarker for PD that may someday help in diagnosing the disease or be used to evaluate how well treatments are working, said Dr. Sette.

According to the authors, the results suggest that PD may have characteristics of an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system incorrectly attacks the bodys own cells.

As we age, proteins throughout the body undergo various molecular modifications. If they become unrecognizable, the immune system may start going after them, thinking they may be dangerous invaders, said Dr. Sulzer.

PD is a neurodegenerative disorder in which dopamine-producing brain cells die off, resulting in tremors, muscle stiffness, loss of balance and slow movement. Additional symptoms may include emotional changes and disrupted sleep.

More research is needed to learn about the interactions between immune cells and alpha-synuclein. Improved understanding of those interactions may lead to information about disease progression as well as potential connections to other neurodegenerative disorders.

This study was funded by grants from NINDS (NS38377).

For more information:https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Parkinsons-Disease-Information-Page

The NINDS is the nations leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system.The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

ReferenceSulzer D et al. T cells of Parkinsons disease patients recognize alpha-synuclein peptides. Nature. June 21, 2017.

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Link:
Immune system may mount an attack in Parkinson's disease - NIH - National Institutes of Health (press release)

Credit: German Cancer Research Center

In order for cancer cells to successfully spread and multiply, they must find a way to avoid the body's own immune system. Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center have published an explanation for how this occurs with chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL).

Degenerated cells cause an inflammatory reaction and influence other blood cells to the extent that the immune system is suppressed. The cells send out their messages via exosomes. The discovery by the DKFZ scientists paves the way for new therapy approaches.

Tumor cells influence their environment in order to avoid an immune response and to facilitate favorable conditions for growth. It has been known for a long time that solid tumors, those which grow as solid tissue inside an organ, manipulate macrophages, the 'big eater' cells of the immune system, for their own purposes. "Recently, we have seen increasing evidence that something similar must be happening in leukemia," says Martina Seiffert of the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg. So leukemia cells acquired by the patient through CLL could only survive in a culture cell if it also contains macrophages or monocytes, the precursors of the 'big eaters.' They serve as a form of nourishment for cancer cells.

Seiffert's team has now discovered how the interplay between leukemia cells and monocytes becomes a catalyst for cancer development. "We know that the so-called PD-L1 receptor occurs more frequently on the surface of these nourishing cells, and suppresses the immune response," says Seiffert. "What we have here is a so-called immune checkpoint, which prevents excessive immune responses." In this case, however, the immune response is suppressed so much that the cancer cells can multiply unopposed. In addition, the monocytes send out semiochemicals, which belong to the inflammation response of the immune system and support the growth and multiplication of the cancer cells.

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The question has been how the leukemia cells can manipulate the monocytes in their environment. The scientists initially presumed that exosomes might play a rolethese are little bubbles which are transmitted from cells to their surrounding environment. They help cells communicate with each other and influence each other's behavior. The blood plasma of CLL patients does, in fact, exhibit a larger number of exosomes sent out by leukemia cells. The analysis of these exosomes has shown that among other things, they contain Y RNA. This is a class of short RNA molecules with little-understood functions.

In order to evaluate the effect of the Y RNA, the scientists treated monocytes and macrophages of humans and mice with suspect exosomes, as well as purified Y RNA from those exosomes, in a culture dish. In both cases, the cells changed similarly to how they would in CLL patients. "They carry more PD-L1 receptors to their surface and emit semiochemicals thst accelerate the immune response and create favorable growth conditions for leukemia cells," explained Franziska Haderk, principal author of the publication.

Another discovery: The Y RNA message of the so-called toll-like receptors 7 and 8 (TLR7/8) is found in the monocytes. These serve to register foreign RNA, such as from pathogens, and to activate the immune response. At the same time, the activation of the toll-like receptors also strengthens the immune inhibitor PD-L1. "This creates an environment that supports the survival of the cancer cells and recruits cells of the immune system, but at the same time, stops an effective response of the immune cells via the PD-L1," says Haderk.

The DKFZ researchers have identified multiple new therapeutic approaches. In addition to a suppression of the PD-L1 receptor, it is conceivable to inhibit the recognition of the Y RNA message. "This could succeed by adding TLR inhibitors such as Chloroquin, a medication used for malaria and rheumatic inflammation," explained Seiffert. In experiments with mice given CLL cells, the agent was able to suppress the reproduction of cancer cells markedly. "That makes Chloroquin an interesting candidate for a combination therapy along with other agents," said Seiffert.

Explore further: New types of blood cells discovered

More information: F. Haderk el al., "Tumor-derived exosomes modulate PD-L1 expression in monocytes," Science Immunology (2017). immunology.sciencemag.org/look 6/sciimmunol.aah5509

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Cancer cells put the brakes on immune system - Medical Xpress - Medical Xpress

In boosting the effectiveness of our immune system, we might already be practising many of the right habits, but it does not hurt to have a reminder of what we should be doing while learning new information about the immune system.

The four key areas that we should always pay attention to are food, exercise, hormonal balance and nutrition.

This week, we discuss hormonal balance and nutrition.

Balance your hormones

It is easy to forget how hormonal balance can impact your immune systems response to external attacks.

The thyroid and adrenal glands, two key hormone-producing parts of our internal system, play a big role in many immune system-activating functions.

Imbalances in oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can also impact immune responses negatively, be it overproduction or low levels of hormones.

Briefly, heres how different types of hormones help boost the immune system.

The adrenal glands produce hormones that are needed for metabolic function. This includes DHEA, the most prolific hormone that influences the production of oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol.

DHEA levels can drop when you are stressed or tired, causing your white blood cell count to also drop, lowering your immune response.

Thyroid health affects our developmental, cardiovascular and metabolic function, all of which are important to an effective immune system. Low thyroid levels disrupt the bodys response to viruses and slows response to inflammation.

Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels all affect the activity of B-cells and T-cells lymphocytes that are integral to the disease-fighting mechanism of your immune system.

Low levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone have its consequences, but it should also be noted that an overproduction of each hormone can cause problems like autoimmune diseases.

Its not easy to fully understand what is happening inside your body, but a few telling symptoms of hormone imbalance include tiredness, low moods and weight gain, amongst others.

Hormonal balance does not have a one-size-fits-all solution. If you suspect hormonal imbalance, seek a doctors advice.

Depending on your age, hormone replacement therapy might be recommended, but instead of synthetic hormones, ask him or her about bio-identical hormones a term for hormones that have the same chemical structure as naturally-occurring hormones.

Get the right amount of nutrients

Good nutrition is essential for a strong immune system, which offers protection from seasonal illnesses such as the flu, and other health problems, including arthritis, allergies, abnormal cell development and cancers.

Help protect yourself against infection and boost your immunity by including the following nutrients in your eating plan.

Protein is part of the bodys defense mechanism. Eat a variety of proteins including seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, unsalted nuts and seeds.

Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system and protects against infections by keeping skin and tissues in the mouth, stomach, intestines and respiratory system healthy.

Get this immune-boosting vitamin from foods such as sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, red bell peppers, apricots, eggs or foods labeled vitamin A fortified such as milk or cereal.

Vitamin C protects you from infection by stimulating the formation of antibodies and boosting immunity. Include more of this healthy vitamin in your diet with citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and tangerines, or red bell pepper, papaya, strawberries, tomato juice, or foods fortified with vitamin C, such as some cereals.

Vitamin E works as an antioxidant, neutralises free radicals and may improve immune function.

Include vitamin E in your diet with fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, vegetable oils (such as sunflower or safflower oil), hazelnuts and peanut butter

Zinc helps the immune system work properly and may help wounds heal. It can be found in lean meat, poultry, seafood, milk, whole grain products, beans, seeds and nuts.

Other nutrients, including vitamin B6, folate, selenium, iron, as well as prebiotics and probiotics, may also influence immune response.

There are herbs and vitamins that you can take to replenish the nutrients in your body that will help strengthen your immune system, e.g. elderberry, green tea, ginseng, Echinacea and vitamin C can be found in their original form or in supplements at the health food store.

Below are a few more nutritious foods that will help boost immunity.

Echinacea is found mainly in the United States and parts of Canada. It stimulates antibodies, reduces inflammation and is used to treat infections in Europe.

Researchers have found that Echinacea lowers the incidence of the common cold by up to 55% and shortens the recovery period for upper respiratory infections. However, it is not advisable to use Echinacea daily for more than eight weeks.

Licorice has phenolic compounds that contain antioxidant activity. One of the compounds is called beta-glycyrrhetinic acid, and it reduces inflammation and allergies.

Licorice root can slow down abnormal cell growth, decrease liver inflammation and encourage macrophage production, helping to reduce stress on the immune system.

Up to 600mg can be taken each day for up to six weeks.

Olive leaf extract contains flavonoids and phenolic compounds that have antioxidant properties.

One of those primary compounds, oleuropein, is found to delay the growth of fungus and bacteria that can damage the immune system. Up to 1,500mg can be taken each day in divided doses.

Astragalus has been around in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. Its a herb that is part of the legume family and protects against infections by activating antibodies like B-cells and T-cells, as well as macrophages that fight bacteria and viruses. About 1,000mg of astragalus can be taken daily.

Shiitake mushroom is used in Chinese medicine for herbal therapy. It can prevent bacterial strains from attacking the immune system and improve its function. Up to 400mg of shiitake mushroom can be taken each day in divided doses.

Vitamin C should be consumed every day to improve the production of lymphocytes.

A body that experiences stress usually falls low on vitamin C, but by replenishing it, your body can stave off symptoms of infection, or shorten the time one might be sick.

Up to 3,000mg of vitamin C can be supplemented each day.

Goldenseal root has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine because of its immune-enhancing properties. It is used to fight bacteria, fungi and parasites.

Goldenseal root improves immune function by increasing the activity of immunoglobulin antibodies. Up to 500mg can be taken daily in divided doses.

Elderberry is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that activate immunity.

It can increase the production of cytokines to stimulate the immune response and decrease flu symptoms. Up to 1,500mg of elderberry can be taken daily.

Green tea is rich in catechin polyphenols and is a strong antioxidant that stimulates immunity by boosting T-cell production and encouraging macrophage activity.

Green tea also decreases the proliferation of bacterial antigens. Up to 500mg per day can be taken daily.

Grapefruit seed extract, or citrus paradisi, is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral. It has been found to inhibit the development of 67 different bacterial strains. The recommended dosage is 100mg to 300mg each day.

Nutrients are your immune regulators and impaired immunity can be enhanced by modest amounts of a combination of micronutrients as supplements.

Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. For further information, visit http://www.primanora.com. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the readers own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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Helping immune function - Star2.com

Spectral Design/ShutterstockIn the 20th century, an estimated 300 million people died from Smallpox. The disease scourged humanity for upwards of 12 millenniaand was finally eradicated in 1980, thanks, in part, to cows, or rather, a disease which afflicted cows.

In 1796, Edward Jenner brought forth a theory, a proposed solution to Smallpox, an epidemic which was, at the time, killing approximately 300,000 Europeans per year.

His theory was based on the observation that milkmaids who contracted cowpox would never go on to contract Smallpox. Why not infect people with Cowpox, a treatable disease, to prevent them from contracting Smallpox, which was basically a death sentence? Suddenly, Jenner had the first vaccine on his hands. (Here are 10 vaccine myths you can safely ignore.)

(The term vaccine actually comes from the scientific name for Cowpox, Variolae vaccinae)

And now, two centuries later, cows may be serving as a key to solving another one of historys deadliest diseases: HIV.

A study published in Nature showed that the immune system of cows was able to adapt and combat HIV at an unprecedented ratea rate which basically rendered the disease toothless. Cows were able to neutralize 20 percent of the virus strains after 42 days, and 96 percent after 381 days.

Dr. Devin Sok, one of the researchers involved in the study told the BBC that the cows response blew our minds, especially when put into perspective to typical HIV response, It was just insane how good it looked, in humans it takes three-to-five years to develop the antibodies were talking about.

The study did not produce a vaccine or treatment quite yet, but the results certainly are encouraging. (By the way, are your teens up to date on their vaccines? They probably arent.)

Read more:
This Animal's Immune System Holds the Clue for an HIV Vaccine, According to Science - Reader's Digest

WASHINGTON

New technology allows scientists working on new vaccines to combat infectious diseases to test their products' effectiveness on a model immune system in a laboratory, without putting the upgraded vaccine into humans.

Researchers have begun building model immune systems using human cells, and this lab technique should make early vaccine trials quicker, safer and cheaper, according to scientists in the United States and Britain involved in this novel approach. The technology also has the potential to be used to mass produce antibodies in the lab to supplement real immune systems that are compromised, or battling pathogens like Ebola.

A report announcing the new "in vitro booster vaccination" technique was published Monday in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, a prestigious peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Rockefeller University Press. The research project involved produced antibodies that attack strains of tetanus, HIV and influenza.

Selecting specific antibodies

When a pathogen invades the body, the immune system develops antibodies specific to that pathogen. The antibodies latch onto the pathogen and either flag it for destruction, disrupt the life cycle of the pathogen, or do nothing.

Before now, when scientists tried to get immune cells in the lab to produce antibodies, the cells would do so indiscriminately, producing all sorts of antibodies, not just the relevant ones. Now scientists are able to get the antibodies they specifically desire by using nanoparticles that connect antigens, the active parts of a vaccine, with molecules that stimulate the immune system.

"We can make these cells very quickly in vitro in a Petri dish to become antibody-producing cells," said a lead author of the new report, Facundo Batista. "This is quite important," he told VOA, "because until now the only way that this has been done is though vaccinating people."

Batista was one of a number of scientists involved in the study from the Ragon Institute, established in the Boston area by experts from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with the goal of working toward development of an effective vaccine against HIV/AIDS. Others contributing to the new report were from the Francis Crick Institute in London and other institutions.

New technique saves time, money

The new laboratory technique will save time and money. After all the work of planning, funding and getting approval for a vaccine trial in humans, "you're talking at least about three years in a best-case scenario, if you have a very promising product," said Matthew Laurens, an associate professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Maryland who was not associated with the study. That lengthy process will now be shortened to a matter of months.

This can eliminate, or at least greatly reduce, long and costly trials, and fewer volunteer subjects will be exposed to potentially dangerous vaccines.

The ease of testing new vaccines will also allow scientists to tinker more and better understand how vaccines work. With better understanding, they may be able to develop more sophisticated vaccines that can be effective against more pathogens those that differ as a result of genetic variations. This will be important in the fight against rapidly evolving pathogens like HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Outside of vaccine testing, immune systems in laboratories can lead to greatly improved methods for the mass production of antibodies. Scientists have been trying to identify antibodies that can attack all strains of the Ebola virus; this new technology will improve their chances of developing an effective therapy.

Laurens, who studies malaria vaccine development at Maryland, called the research exciting.

"This would allow vaccine candidates to be tested very early and very quickly," he told VOA, "with rapid turnaround and reporting of results to either advance a vaccine candidate or tell scientists they need to go back and look for other candidates."

Link:
Test-tube Immune Systems Can Speed Vaccine Development - Voice of America

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus discovered that a process protecting the body from autoimmune disease appears to prevent it from creating antibodies that can neutralize the HIV-1 virus, a finding that could possibly help lead to a vaccine that stimulates production of these antibodies.

Lead researcher Raul M. Torres and his team sought to better understand how the bodys own immune system might be getting in the way of neutralizing the HIV-1 virus.

They knew that some patients infected with HIV-1 developed what are known as broadly neutralizing antibodies, or bnAbs, that can protect against a wide variety of HIV-1 strains by recognizing a protein on the surface of the virus called Env. But the patients only develop these antibodies after many years of infection. Because of shared features found in a number of HIV-1 bnAbs, researchers suspected the inability or delayed ability to make these type of protective antibodies against HIV was due to the immune system suppressing production of the antibodies to prevent the body from creating self-reactive antibodies that could cause autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus.

At the same time, patients with lupus showed slower rates of HIV-1 infection. Scientists believe thats because these autoimmune patients produce self-reactive antibodies that recognize and neutralize HIV-1. The process by which the body prevents the creation of antibodies that can cause autoimmune disease is known as immunological tolerance. Torres wanted to break through that tolerance and stimulate the production of antibodies that could neutralize HIV-1. We wanted to see if people could make a protective response to HIV-1 without the normal restraint imposed by the immune system to prevent autoimmunity, Torres said.

The researchers first tested mice with genetic defects that caused lupus-like symptoms. They found that many of them produced antibodies that could neutralize HIV-1 after being injected with alum, a chemical that promotes antibody secretion and is often used in vaccinations. Next, they treated normal mice with a drug that impairs immunological tolerance and found that they began producing antibodies capable of neutralizing HIV-1. The production of these antibodies was increased by alum injections. And if the mice were also injected with the HIV-1 protein Env, they produced potent broadly neutralizing antibodies capable of neutralizing a range of HIV-1 strains.

In every case, the production of these HIV-neutralizing antibodies correlated with the levels of a self-reactive antibody that recognizes a chromosomal protein called Histone H2A. The researchers confirmed these antibodies could neutralize HIV-1. We think this may reflect an example of molecular mimicry where the virus has evolved to mimic or look like a self protein, Torres said.

Torres suggested that the difficulty in developing a vaccine against HIV-1 may be because of the ability of the virus to camouflage itself as a normal part of the body. But breaching peripheral immunological tolerance permits the production of cross-reactive antibodies able to neutralize HIV-1, Torres said.

Since the research was done on animals, scientists must still determine its relevance for HIV-1 immunity in humans. The primary consideration will be determining whether immunological tolerance can be temporarily relaxed without leading to detrimental autoimmune manifestations and as a means to possibly elicit HIV-1 bnAbs with vaccination, he said. The study is published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

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Breakthrough: Switching immune system off can turn HIV protection on - Hindustan Times

Q. I seem to be getting sick a lot lately, and Im worried that my immune system isnt working right. Could that be a reason?

A diminished immune system could be the cause of your problems. Go to your doctor for a checkup and diagnosis.

The immune system is a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against attacks by organisms such as bacteria, parasites, and fungi that can cause infections.

The cells that are part of this defense system are white blood cells, or leukocytes. Foreign substances that invade the body are called antigens.

No two individuals have the same immune system. Some people seem to be dressed in a suit of armor against infections while others get floored whenever there are bugs about.

When it comes to germs, getting older has advantages and disadvantages.

As we age, our immune systems develop defenses against antigens. We acquire antibodies to the germs weve defeated in the past. Because of this phenomenon, adults tend to get fewer colds than children.

Now for some of the bad news that comes with advancing age:

The thymus, which is located behind the breastbone, is one of the organs of the immune system. The thymus is where immune cells - white blood cells - called T lymphocytes (T cells) mature. The thymus begins to shrink when we are young adults. By middle age it is only about 15 percent of its maximum size.

Some T cells kill antigens directly. Others help coordinate other parts of the immune system. Although the number of T cells does not decrease with aging, T-cell function decreases. This causes parts of the immune system to weaken and increases the risk for becoming ill.

Macrophages, which are white blood cells that ingest antigens, dont work as quickly as they used to in younger years. This slowdown may be one reason that cancer is more common among older people.

There are fewer white blood cells capable of responding to new antigens. Thus, when older people encounter a new antigen, the body is less able to remember and defend against it.

The amount of antibodies produced in response to an antigen is less in older people, and the antibodies are less able to attach to the antigen. These changes may partly explain why pneumonia, influenza, infectious endocarditis, and tetanus are more common among older people and cause death more often. These changes may also partly explain why vaccines are less effective in older people.

Later in life, the immune system also seems to become less tolerant of the body's own cells. Sometimes an autoimmune disorder develops; normal tissue is mistaken for non-self tissue, and immune cells attack certain organs or tissues. Among the autoimmune disorders are lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and ankylosing spondylitis.

Diabetes, which is also more common with increasing age, can also lead to decreased immunity.

There are immunizations that are important as we get older. Adult tetanus immunizations should be given every 10 years; a booster may be given sooner if there is a dirty wound.

Your healthcare provider may recommend other immunizations, including Pneumovax (to prevent pneumonia or its complications), flu vaccine, hepatitis immunization, or others. These optional immunizations are not necessary for all older people, but are appropriate for some.

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Regular checkups can combat immune-system slowdown - CapeGazette.com

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Immune system function varies significantly between individuals, and up to now there has been no effective means of measuring and describing these differences. Now, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have shown that white blood cell composition is unique in individuals, and that the composition of these cells may predict immune system response to various forms of stimulation. The study, which is published in PNAS, paves the way for more individualised treatment of diseases involving the immune system, e.g. autoimmune disorders, allergies and various forms of cancer.

The human immune system comprises a complex network of different white blood cells, which coordinate their efforts in order to combat different external and internal threats. This network varies widely between different individuals, but the differences have been difficult to measure and understand.

Together with colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University in the USA, researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) have developed a tool for measuring the unique composition of white blood cells in individuals. Researchers have also found that the test may predict how individuals will respond to a given treatment, e.g. individual response to an influenza vaccine.

Measuring the individual's "immunotypes"

"By measuring all populations of white blood cells in the blood at the same time, we can describe the composition of an individual's immune system and show that this is unique for the individual. We call this measure, the individual's "immunotype". We have also found that this immunotype makes the complex immune system more understandable and predictable," says Petter Brodin, physician and researcher at SciLifeLab and the Department of Medicine, Solna, at Karolinska Institutet.

A human immunotype is not constant, but varies over time in response to external factors. In previous studies, Petter Brodin and his research colleagues have shown that in humans individual differences in immune defence can be attributed primarily to the many different environmental factors unique to each individual, e.g. diet, infections, vaccines and microflora.

Blood samples from 1,500 individuals

In the study in question, the researchers analysed blood samples from approximately 1,500 healthy individuals and tested in vitro how their white blood cells respond to different stimuli. They have also vaccinated individuals against influenza and studied which antibody protection the individuals developed thereafter. It transpired that all different types of stimulation could be predicted based on the individual's immunotype, which was surprising according to Petter Brodin.

"Our technique can be scaled up, and my hope is that eventually it will be used clinically to predict those individuals who may benefit from a particular immunological treatment or a certain vaccine. The technique may also contribute to more individualised drugs to treat autoimmune disease and allergies, as well as immunotherapy to treat cancer, which can be adapted based on the individual's immune response," says Petter Brodin.

Explore further: Differences in individuals' immune responses linked to flu vaccine effectiveness

More information: Kevin J. Kaczorowski et al. Continuous immunotypes describe human immune variation and predict diverse responses, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1705065114

Read more:
New tool demonstrates differences in human immune systems - Medical Xpress

Boost your immune system and take a preventative approach to your wellbeing this winter.

Photos: Instagram @emrata, @selenagomez

As the number of new flu viruses set to hit our shores this year increases, so too do the studies that show theres a multitude of ways to protect your immune system this winter. Got the chicken soup, antiseptic hand gel and multivitamins? Add the following into your daily routine for improved fortification against colds and flu.

Book in for a 20-minute weekly massage and you could lower your cortisol levels a stress hormone that negatively impacts the immune system by up to 53 per cent, according to researchers at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine in the US. Regular moderate pressure massage has also been shown to increase the production of dopamine and serotonin, flooding your body with the kind of happy hormones that no amount of bad weather can affect. Live in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane? Try new mobile massage on demand service, Blys. Think of it as the Uber of qualified therapists.

Scientists at Finlands University of Turku found that a slice per day of probiotic rich cheese, such as Gouda, can boost immunity, as can a daily pot of yoghurt, according to researchers at the University of Vienna, Austria.

Having sex frequently can boost your immune system, according to researchers at Wilkes University in the US, who found that university students who engaged in sexual activity once or twice per week had higher levels of immunoglobulin A (an antibody that helps fights infections) in their saliva. Those who had no sex or very frequent sex (three or more times per week) had lower levels.

Human connection has long been linked to peak physical health, but researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in the US have gone one further and discovered that the larger your social group, the better your chance of escaping winter untouched by influenza. They gave 83 college students the flu vaccine and found that those who enjoyed the company of a larger circle of friends (real ones, not Facebook mates), produced more flu-fighting antibodies than those who preferred more intimate groups. To get in on the action, consider joining or starting a book club or other hobby group based on your interests.

High levels of vitamin D and increased immune health go hand-in-hand, but researchers at the University of Sydney have discovered that out of the 24,000 people they tested, 58 per cent were deficient in the vitamin, putting them at risk of a host of illnesses and diseases. To keep your body fighting fit, aim to get 20 minutes of sunshine (the most potent source of vitamin D) in the winter months, preferably in the morning or late afternoon, outside peak UV hours.

Make the most of those glorious goose-down pillows and winter-weight quilts and commit to sleeping at least seven hours a night, researchers at the University of California San Francisco in the US advise. They found that those who sleep six hours or less per night are four times more likely to catch a cold when exposed to the virus than those who sleep seven or more.

Regular moderate activity really is the first line of defence against colds and flu. US researchers who studied more than 1000 people found that those who did five or more days of exercise a week experienced 43 per cent fewer days with upper respiratory tract infections than those who exercised one day or less. And when they did get a cold, the frequent exercisers suffered milder symptoms than the less frequent.

Cold and flu germs are easily transmitted via hand-to-hand contact, so try to get into the habit of washing your hands regularly with soap throughout the day. Need encouragement? Researchers from San Diegos Naval Health Research Centre in the US saw a 45 per cent decrease in respiratory illness among its 45,000 recruits who had been instructed to wash their hands at least five times a day.

Meeting friends for coffee? Studies show swapping your usual latte for a soothing cup of chamomile increases antibacterial activity within your body, helping to boost immunity and fight infections associated with colds. If youre not a fan of the taste, inhaling steam infused with chamomile extract can be just as helpful in warding off a cold.

A study from the University of Kentucky in the US found that as people become more optimistic, their bodies better resist invasion by viruses and bacteria.

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How to stay well when everyone around you is coughing up phlegm - Body and Soul

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Can Nutrition Boost the Equine Immune System? TheHorse.com The innate immune system is the general, first line of defense against pathogens (disease-causing organisms) or trauma. You're born with it, and it has no specificity or memory. The adaptive immune system learns to remember specific pathogens so it ...

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Can Nutrition Boost the Equine Immune System? - TheHorse.com

Drinking beer could soon come with added health benefits, thanks to a team of researchers in Singapore.

A new speciality beer now includes the probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei L26, which was first taken from human intestines.

The bacteria has the ability to neutralise toxins and viruses and even boost the immune system, the scientists claim.

Studies have shown that eating food and drink with live counts of probiotics are more effective in delivering health effects than eating those with inactive probiotics.

GETTY

Recommendations by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics is to have a minimum of 1 billion probiotics per serving in order to attain the maximum health benefits.

The idea of a probiotic beer was the brainchild of student Chan Mei Zhi Alcine, who consumes dairy-based probiotic drinks daily.

The health benefits of probiotics are well known, she said.

While good bacteria are often present in food that have been fermented, there are currently no beers in the market that contain probiotics.

Developing sufficient counts of live probiotics in beer is a challenging feat as beers contain hop acids that prevent the growth and survival of probiotics.

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GETTY

Developing sufficient counts of live probiotics in beer is a challenging feat

Miss Chan said the recipe, which included the optimal count of live probiotics - took nine months to develop.

For this beer, we used a lactic acid bacterium as a probiotic micro-organism, she said.

It will utilise sugars present in the wort to produce sour-tasting lactic acid, resulting in a beer with sharp and tart flavours.

The final product, which takes around a month to brew, has an alcohol content of about 3.5 per cent, said Miss Chan.

GETTY

The NUS research team has filed a patent to protect the recipe for brewing the probiotic sour beer.

Associate Professor Liu Shao Quan from the NUS Food Science and Technology Programme said: The general health benefits associated with consuming food and beverages with probiotic strains have driven demand dramatically.

In recent years, consumption of craft or specialty beers has gained popularity too.

Alcines invention is placed in a unique position that caters to these two trends.

I am confident that the probiotic gut-friendly beer will be well-received by beer drinkers, as they can now enjoy their beers and be healthy.

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The BEER that's good for you - THIS alcoholic drink boosts gut health and immune system - Express.co.uk

LEE SUCKLING

Last updated05:00, July 6 2017

123RF

When it's not warm outside we often drink less water, but dehydration can lower the body's defences.

The middle of winter is here. No matter how healthy you think you are, the flu virus and various colds are abound and they're ready to infect your system.

There are some ways to boost your immune system and stay healthy for the rest of the chilly, virus-laden season, but a lot of what we think true is mythical.

First and foremost, hydration is key. When it's not warm outside we often drink less water, but dehydration can lower the body's defences. The eight glasses of water per day rule still rings true, however, an easier way to ensure you're never dehydrated is to look at the colour of your urine. If it's a pale yellow or clear, you're getting enough water.

While you're thinking about fluids, make sure you're drinking cow's milk. Milk is a good source of protein and also contains vitamins A and B12, which benefit your immune system. There's also milk's calcium factor, which you know keeps bones strong too.

READ MORE: *Any truth to common myths about being sick? *Three things you can do to avoid catching the flu at work *Manifesto: Unravelling the myth of the man flu

Owing to a lack of sun, our bodies can become vitamin D deficient in winter. You can consider taking a vitamin D3 supplement until the sun's rays come out again, though food sources such as fish, eggsand mushrooms do contain good doses of it.

Not only does the body not produce vitamin C by itself either, if you're physically or mentally stressed you require 20-40 times more of it to maintain optimal levels. This can't be neglected in winter, so it remains important to eat citrus fruits.

Having a good level of zinc in your body too (it comes from beef and lamb, nuts and seeds, and shellfish) may help shorten the length of the common cold. When combined with vitamin C, zinc is can also help heal scrapes and wounds faster.

Aside from these primary dietary interventions, your best bet in having a strong immune system throughout winter is to keep up (or increase) your exercise, and consume protein to repair your muscles. The immune system runs on protein, which is why the old wives' tale of chicken soup for generally illness is potentially true: chicken is high in protein, and the broth is a good source of fluids.

Some winter wellness old wives' tales are no more than myths, however. Echinacea was proven in Annals of Internal Medicine journal to be ineffective in preventing or treating colds. In this randomised controlled trial, there was no difference in health outcomes for those who took a placebo, or those who took no supplement at all. So-called "small preventative effects" of echinacea haven't been ruled out in other studies, but there's no good evidence to support them either.

Any other supplements that market themselves as beneficial for "immune system defence" (or similar) are also unlikely to be based on any science. There's very little evidence that any supplement can boost the chemical components of your immune system that system's repertoire is made up of thousands of genetic elements.

The vitamins and various other treatments from health stores that claim they can prevent or cure general coughs and colds are not backed up by solid proof. They may be helping specific parts of your system (e.g. boosting vitamin D, C, and zinc quantities), but cannot be relied on to improve your overall immune system during winter.

It's also important to understand that from a scientific point of view, there's also a big downside to having a seasonally-souped-up immune system.

Researchers from University of Cambridge found that while a seasonally-increased immune defence system helps fight off infections such as colds and the flu, it also raises inflammation in the body. The study found that the immune system's activity boosts during winter to stave off infections and relaxes during summer when it is less needed.

Unfortunately, what this winter boost of inflammation does is raise your risk of heart attacks, stroke, severe cases of depression and other mental health disorders, and Alzheimer's disease. Generally, as these Cambridge scientists suggest, the enhanced risk factor for disease when one's immune system is seasonally-boosted may outweigh the benefits of being able to fight off less serious colds and influenza viruses.

* Lee Suckling has a masters degree specialising in personal health reporting. Do you have a health topic you'd like Lee to investigate? Send us an email to life.style@fairfaxmedia.co.nz with Dear Lee in the subject line.

-Stuff

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Can you really boost your mid-winter immune system? - Stuff.co.nz

A gene mutation may explain theuncontrolled, inflammatory immune response seenin autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseaseslikemultiple sclerosis, scientistsat the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) report. Its a discovery that, they said, appears tobe a big step in the right direction.

According to the study, published in the journalScience Immunology, alterations in theFOXP3 geneaffect specificimmune cells called regulatory T-cells, or Tregs. Those mutations hamper Tregs in performing a crucial regulatory role, leading to a loss of control over the immune systems response to a perceived threat.

We discovered that this mutation in the FOXP3 gene affects the Treg cells ability to dampen the immune response, which results in the immune system overreacting and causing inflammation, Ciriaco Piccirillo, the studys lead author andan immunologist in the Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Global Health Program, at the RI-MUHC, said in a news release.

Tregs are known to be the immune system playersresponsible for keeping other immune cells under control, preventing them from attacking the hosts own tissues, while maintaining a properimmune response against harmful agents. The normal activity of Treg cells is essential for preventing excessive immune reactions.

TheFOXP3 gene is also well-known, and documented, to be essentialfor proper Treg cell function. However, the mechanisms by whichFOXP3 gene is involved in Treg cell activities are still poorly understood.

In the study, Suppression by human FOXP3+ regulatory T cells requires FOXP3-TIP60 interactions, the research team in collaboration with researchers at University of Pennsylvania, University of Washington School of Medicine, and Teikyo University School of Medicine in Japan evaluated the impact of aFOXP3 gene mutation in autoimmunity response.

Taking advantage of cutting-edge technology, the team studiedsamples from two patients carrying a common FOXP3 gene mutation, which caused a genetic immune disorder called IPEX. Interestingly, the researchers found that this genetic variant did not reduce the number of Treg cells or the levels of FOXP3 protein. Instead, the mutation altered the way Tregs could suppress other immune cells to prevent overactivation.

What was unique about this case of IPEX was that the patients Treg cells were fully functional apart from one crucial element: its ability to shut down the inflammatory response, saidPiccirillo.

Understanding this specific mutation has allowed us to shed light on how many milder forms of chronic inflammatory diseases or autoimmune diseases could be linked to alterations in FOXP3 functions, addedKhalid Bin Dhuban, the studys first author and a postdoctoral fellow in Piccirillos laboratory.

The team developed a compound capable of restoring Treg cells ability to control the immune system in the presence of this specific FOXP3 gene mutation. Tested in animal models of colitis and arthritis, twochronic inflammatory diseases, the compound reduced inflammation and restored normal Treg function.

Researchers now plan to developsimilar drugs that may be of use inother diseaseswhere Treg cells are known to be defective, including multiple sclerosis,type 1 diabetes, and lupus.

Currently, we have to shut down the whole immune system with aggressive suppressive therapies in various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, said Piccirillo. Our goal is to increase the activity of these Treg cells in certain settings, such as autoimmune diseases, but we want to turn it down in other settings, such as cancer.

This discovery gives us key insights on how Treg cells are born and how they can be regulated, Piccirillo added. With this discovery, we are taking a big step in the right direction.

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FOXP3 Gene Mutations May Explain Immune System Excitability in MS and Other Diseases - Multiple Sclerosis News Today

What if curing cancer was as easy as getting an injection? Thats just what a pair of studies published this week in Nature tried to figure out.

The two teams of researchers conducted independent Phase I trials of personalized vaccines designed to prime the patients immune systems against melanomas, a category of skin cancers. In a scientific double whammy, both studies found that their vaccinessometimes in combination with other immunotherapieswere able to prevent recurrence of the cancers in nearly all their subjects.

We can safely and feasibly create a vaccine that is personalized to an individuals tumor, says Catherine Wu, senior author of one of the studies and associate professor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Its not one-size-fits-allrather, its tailored to the genetic composition of the patients tumor.

Wu carried out her study with colleagues in Boston at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute. The other study was conducted in parallel by researchers in Germany, led by study first author Ugur Sahin, the co-founder and CEO of BioNTech, a biotechnology company that focuses on personalized immunotherapy treatments.

Both studies targeted the same type of cancer: melanoma. These skin cancers (best known for their link to UV radiation from tanning) are a good first target, Wu says, because scientists have a good understanding of the mutations that cause them. These mutations are the key, says Mathias Vormehr, a co-author on Sahin's study and a scientist at BioNTech.

"In principle, you can target any tumor that has mutations," Vormehr says. "And mutations are a main feature of tumors."

The goal of a cancer vaccine is to turn the patient's own immune system against the cancer by teaching it to fight the tumor cells. This is similar to other vaccines like the flu vaccine which contains dead or weakened flu viruses that can't actually do harm but can model what the the immune system should be prepared to fight.

Past attempts to create cancer vaccines have used gene-carrying viruses to reprogram immune cells to recognize cancerous cells. Others removed some immune cells from the patient's blood, taught them to recognize the cancer cells outside the body, then re-injected the trained immune cells into the patient to go to work.

The recent studies in Nature used neoantigen vaccines. Antigens are small proteins that decorate the outside of cells, and "neoantigens" refer to ones that are found only on cancer cells. Because they aren't found on any healthy cells, neoantigens make a perfect target for the immune systemafter all, you wouldnt want the immune system to start attacking its own healthy cells. Normally, cancer cells evade the immune system by weakening its effects and by feigning the appearance of normal cells. But, if the immune system learns to recognize the neoantigens delivered by the vaccine as harmful, it could then recognize and fight the cancer cells, too. Delivering mass amounts of neoantigens at once, which is what the vaccine would do, could trigger this recognition and the immune system might see neoantigens as harmful from then on.

Since all tumors are different, the vaccine had to be personalized. To figure out which neoantigens were unique to a patient's tumor, the researchers sequenced the tumor's DNA and each group of researchers developed their own computer algorithm to identify the unique segments of DNA that encoded the instructions to assemble these neoantigens.

This is the point where Wu and Sahins studies diverged. The goal was to get the neoantigens into the patient to prime their immune system. Wus team loaded up the vaccine with the neoantigens themselves, while Sahins vaccines delivered the corresponding RNA a cellular intermediary between DNA and proteinsso that the patient's own cells could create the neoantigen. Sahin's team chose to use RNA because RNA serves a two-in-one role in the vaccine, Vormehr says. Vaccines normally have an added component that boosts the immune response, and RNA can accomplish that on its own.

(Remember that these cancer vaccines arent preventative, like the ones that you take for the flu. They are therapeutic vaccines, designed after the onset of cancer to target each individuals tumor specifically.)

Both studies found that vaccination resulted in suppression of the cancer in many of their subjects. In the cases where the cancer was not successfully eliminated, Wu and Sahin both tried adding another treatment called checkpoint therapy, which keeps the cancerous cells from avoiding detection by the immune system. And two was, in fact, better than one: They found that the combination of the two methods improved vaccine response.

Of the six subjects in Wus study, four had stage III cancer and 25 months after vaccination, there was no sign of tumors. In the other two subjects, who had stage IV melanomas, they saw improvement with additional checkpoint therapy. Likewise, in Sahins study, eight out of 13 initially tumor-free subjects remained tumor-free 23 months later; normally half of them would be expected to relapse, Vormehr says. Of five subjects who relapsed, two responded positively to the vaccine, and a third responded when the vaccine was combined with checkpoint blockade therapy. Looking more closely, both sets of researchers found that their subjects' immune systems were learning to react to the neoantigens.

Using very different delivery systems, we arrived at very similar conclusions, Wu says. It gives more robust grounds for proceeding into future directions.

The purpose of the initial study was just to look for anti-tumor activity, says Matthias Miller, a senior project manager and co-author of the BioNTech study. In both cases, the trials were relatively small and did not have un-vaccinated control subjects. In a Nature News & Views piece that accompanied the two studies, Cornelis Melief, a professor at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands who was not involved in either study, called for further Phase II clinical trials with larger samples and controls to more rigorously demonstrate the effectiveness of these vaccines.

One limitation of the studies was that not all cancer patients have neoantigen mutations that can be used to design these personalized vaccines, says Sasha Stanton, a physician-scientist in the University of Washington's Tumor Vaccine Group who was not involved in the study.

"Neoantigen vaccines are very exciting in metastatic cancer or in locally advanced cancer," Stanton says. "They are less beneficial in prevention and earlier stage cancer."

Additionally, the process is time intensivefor example, in Wu's study, it took three months for the patient to receive the vaccineand not all patients can remain stable for that long, Stanton says. Production of the vaccine will also have to become more streamlined, Wu says, but she believes the timeframe can be brought down to 4-6 weeks. Miller is also optimistic about the accessibility of the BioNTech vaccine.

"It will be affordable," Miller says. "It can definitely reach the broader public upon improvement of the process."

BioNTech is working with Genentech, a pharmaceutical company, to further develop their vaccine, while Wus team is participating in a multi-center combination therapy trial sponsored by Neon Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company founded by Wu. If future trials are successful, Wu says, there will be many opportunities to apply personalized vaccines to other types of cancer; glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, is one possible target.

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Personalized vaccines could help the immune system fight cancer - Popular Science