News Release
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Findings suggest drugs targeting immune cells may help treat deadly disease mainly affecting children.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found evidence that specific immune cells may play a key role in the devastating effects of cerebral malaria, a severe form of malaria that mainly affects young children. The results, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest that drugs targeting T cells may be effective in treating the disease. The study was supported by the NIH Intramural Research Program.
This is the first study showing that T cells target blood vessels in brains of children with cerebral malaria, said Dorian McGavern, Ph.D., chief of the Viral Immunology and Intravital Imaging Section at the NIHs National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) who co-directed the study with Susan Pierce, Ph.D., chief of the Laboratory of Immunogenetics at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). These findings build a bridge between mouse and human cerebral malaria studies by implicating T cells in the development of disease pathology in children. It is well established that T cells cause the brain vasculature injury associated with cerebral malaria in mice, but this was not known in humans.
More than 200 million people worldwide are infected annually with mosquito-borne parasites that cause malaria. In a subset of those patients, mainly young children, the parasites accumulate in brain blood vessels causing cerebral malaria, which leads to increased brain pressure from swelling. Even with available treatment, cerebral malaria still kills up to 25% of those affected resulting in nearly 400,000 deaths annually. Children who survive the infection will often have long-lasting neurological problems such as cognitive impairment.
The researchers, led by Drs. Pierce and McGavern, examined brain tissue from 23 children who died of cerebral malaria and 11 children who died from other causes. The scientists used state-of-the-art microscopy to explore the presence of cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) in the brain tissue samples. CTLs are a type of T cell in our immune system that is responsible for controlling infections throughout the body.
Current treatment strategies for cerebral malaria focus on red blood cells, which are thought to clog blood vessels and create potentially fatal blockages leading to extreme pressure in the brain. However, findings in the mouse model demonstrated that CTLs damage blood vessels, leading to brain swelling and death. The role of CTLs in cerebral malaria in children hasnt been thoroughly investigated prior to this study.
The results of the current study demonstrate an increased accumulation of CTLs along the walls of brain blood vessel in the cerebral malaria tissue samples compared to non-cerebral malaria cases. In addition, the CTLs were shown to contain and release effector molecules, which damage cells, suggesting that CTLs play a critical role in cerebral malaria by damaging the walls of brain blood vessels.
The disease appears to be an immunological accident in which the CTLs are trying to control a parasitic infection but end up injuring brain blood vessels in the process, said Dr. McGavern.
In separate studies we discovered that treatment of mice with a drug that targets T cells rescued over 60% of otherwise fatal cases of experimental cerebral malaria, said Dr. Pierce. Given our findings of T cells in the brain vasculature of children who died of the disease, we are excited by the possibility that this drug may be the first therapy for cerebral malaria.
The impact of HIV coinfection on the risk of developing cerebral malaria is not known. The NIH researchers compared CTL patterns in the cerebral malaria cases that were co-infected with HIV and those that were HIV negative. In the HIV-negative cases, the CTLs were seen lining up against the inside wall of brain blood vessels. In the HIV-positive cases, the CTLs had migrated across the surface to the outside of the vessels. There were also significantly more CTLs present in the HIV-positive cases.
Together these findings suggest that CTLs may play an important role in cerebral malaria and that HIV infection may worsen the disease.
Additional research is needed to uncover the role of T cells in human cerebral malaria. Future studies will also investigate how targeting T cells may help treat the disease. Plans for a clinical trial are underway to test the effects of a specific T cell blocker in cerebral malaria patients in Malawi.
The NINDSis 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.
NIAID conducts and supports research at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.
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
Riggle et al. CD8+T cells target cerebrovasculature in children with cerebral malaria. Journal of Clinical Investigation.
###
Follow this link:
NIH study supports new approach for treating cerebral malaria - National Institutes of Health
- Neutrophil diversity and function in health and disease - Nature.com - December 6th, 2024
- Harnessing the Power of the Immune System for Breast Cancer Treatment - Breast Cancer Research Foundation - December 6th, 2024
- Study Examines Neoantigen Landscapes and Their Role in Immunotherapy Efficacy - Consult QD - December 6th, 2024
- The 5 Best Teas to Support Your Immune System This Cold & Flu Season - EatingWell - December 6th, 2024
- Engineered immune cells may be able to tame inflammation - Medical Xpress - December 6th, 2024
- Hybrid model of tumor growth, angiogenesis and immune response yields strategies to improve antiangiogenic therapy - Nature.com - December 6th, 2024
- Opioids interfere with cancer immunotherapy, but another type of drug could help - Medical Xpress - December 6th, 2024
- RANKL cytokine restores thymus cells in old mice, reducing tumor growth and improving T cell immune response - Fierce Biotech - December 6th, 2024
- Predictive role of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic immune-inflammation index for mortality in... - December 6th, 2024
- Immuno-Oncology Strategic Industry Research Report 2023-2024 & 2030: Approval of Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and Nivolumab (Opdivo), which Target... - December 6th, 2024
- Study cracks the cold case of immunotherapy resistance - News-Medical.Net - December 6th, 2024
- New immune therapy improves survival and reduces tumor burden in glioblastoma - News-Medical.Net - December 6th, 2024
- Identification of immune-related hub genes and potential molecular mechanisms involved in COVID-19 via integrated bioinformatics analysis - Nature.com - December 6th, 2024
- Immune Cell Breakthrough: Scientists Discover a Hidden Ally in the Fight Against Cancer - SciTechDaily - December 6th, 2024
- Rising temperatures impact the immune system of wild monkeys - Earth.com - December 6th, 2024
- Study declaring Alzheimer's to be a "brain disease" proven to be fabricated - Earth.com - December 6th, 2024
- Warming temperatures impact immune performance of wild monkeys, U-M study shows - University of Michigan News - December 6th, 2024
- New study explores heart risks of cancer immunotherapy - News-Medical.Net - December 6th, 2024
- 'Incredible' way to boost your immune system naturally and ward of colds and flu this winter - The Mirror - December 6th, 2024
- Tis the Season to Boost Your Immune System - Mix93.3 - December 6th, 2024
- A mathematical model simulating the adaptive immune response in various vaccines and vaccination strategies - Nature.com - October 14th, 2024
- Fox Chase Cancer Center Researchers Find Gene That Triggers Immune Response in Treatment-Resistant Small-Cell Lung Cancer - Fox Chase Cancer Center - October 14th, 2024
- What Does It Mean to Be Immunocompromised? - The New York Times - October 14th, 2024
- Scientist hopes to cure Type 1 diabetes by disguising stem cells - The University of Arizona - October 14th, 2024
- Watching an infection unfold with a sphingolipid probe - Drug Discovery News - October 14th, 2024
- The cells that protect your brain against infection could also be behind some chronic diseases - BBC.com - October 14th, 2024
- On Nutrition: Foods that help strengthen the immune system - LimaOhio.com - October 14th, 2024
- An integral T cell pathway has implications for understanding sex-based immune response - Medical Xpress - October 14th, 2024
- Immune Response Linked to Lewy Body Formation - Neuroscience News - October 14th, 2024
- Are vaccines the future of cancer prevention? - Genetic Literacy Project - October 14th, 2024
- The Gut Microbiome and Autoimmunity - Inside Precision Medicine - October 14th, 2024
- Researchers discover how oral cancer cells may block the body's immune response - News-Medical.Net - September 21st, 2024
- Are Vaccines More Effective When You Believe in Them? - Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley - September 21st, 2024
- Researchers discover immune response to dengue can predict risk of severe reinfections - Medical Xpress - September 21st, 2024
- Texas Researchers Find Acid Walls That Shield Cancer Tumors from Bodys Immune System Response - DARKDaily.com - Laboratory News - September 21st, 2024
- Lysosomes in the immunometabolic reprogramming of immune cells in atherosclerosis - Nature.com - September 21st, 2024
- A new way to reprogram immune cells and direct them toward anti-tumor immunity - MIT News - September 21st, 2024
- Unravelling the many mysteries of the immune system - Cosmos - September 21st, 2024
- Long COVID patients maintain robust immune memory two years after infection - News-Medical.Net - September 21st, 2024
- Nutraceuticals and pharmacological to balance the transitional microbiome to extend immunity during COVID-19 and other viral infections - Journal of... - September 21st, 2024
- Which adults benefit from the pneumococcal vaccine? - Mayo Clinic Press - September 21st, 2024
- UAMS receives $2.2 million grant to study immune response to eye disease - talkbusiness.net - September 21st, 2024
- Low oxygen levels in tumors could enhance some of the body's immune responses against cancer - Medical Xpress - September 21st, 2024
- Overview of the Immune System - The Merck Manuals - March 18th, 2024
- What are the organs of the immune system? - InformedHealth.org - NCBI ... - January 17th, 2024
- Mom who homeschools her children reveals she lets her one-year-old play in and EAT mud - but insists it is goo - Daily Mail - November 26th, 2023
- The limits of nutritional supplements: they dont cure or prevent ailments, nor are they harmless - EL PAS USA - November 26th, 2023
- Here's how your gut affects your mental health, immune function and even cardiovascular health - indulgexpress - November 18th, 2023
- From fear to freedom: Anchor Paul LaGrone shares his story of sudden hair loss & the disease that caused it - ABC Action News Tampa Bay - May 9th, 2023
- Strengthen Your Immune System With 4 Simple Strategies - May 1st, 2023
- Immunodeficiency Awareness Month: What Is The Science Behind These Diseases? Know Warning Signs - ABP Live - May 1st, 2023
- Nearly 90% of patients with rare skin cancer respond to therapy that prevents tumors from evading the immune - cleveland.com - April 23rd, 2023
- University of Cincinnati researchers helping develop 'vaccine' to fight aggressive cancer - WKRC TV Cincinnati - April 23rd, 2023
- Sana Biotechnology Highlights Preclinical Hypoimmune Data for its Allogeneic CAR T Platform and Advancements with its In Vivo Fusogen Platform with... - April 23rd, 2023
- Immune System: Parts & Common Problems - Cleveland Clinic - March 21st, 2023
- Disorders of the Immune System | Johns Hopkins Medicine - March 21st, 2023
- Sometimes 15 Minutes Are More Than Enough To Improve Immune System, Sleep Quality And Depression - Revyuh - March 13th, 2023
- People produce endocannabinoids similar to compounds found in marijuana that are critical to many bodily functions - The Conversation Indonesia - February 24th, 2023
- Spending more time with your kids, grandkidsand their germsmay lower risk of a severe outcome from Covid-19, recent studies show - CNBC - December 20th, 2022
- Published in Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer: Using Single-Cell Analysis to Assess the Effects of an Anti-OX40 Monoclonal Antibody in Its... - November 17th, 2022
- Man who had COVID-19 for 400 days finally cured after getting treated with antibodies, study says - msnNOW - November 17th, 2022
- Social Distancing: The Impact on Your Health and Immune System - Healthline - October 7th, 2022
- Unraveling the Mysteries of the Immune System - Duke University School of Medicine - October 7th, 2022
- When Will ISR Immune System Regulation Holding AB (publ) (STO:ISR) Become Profitable? - Simply Wall St - October 7th, 2022
- VitaGaming Introduces Immune Support and Collagen to help Gamers boost immunity and fight stress - PR Web - October 7th, 2022
- Ohio reports third U.S. death of person with monkeypox who had underlying health conditions - CNBC - October 7th, 2022
- How a select few people have been cured of HIV - PBS - October 7th, 2022
- BeniCaros Wins Nutrition Industry Executive 2022 Immune Health Award - GlobeNewswire - October 7th, 2022
- Seasonal superfoods to give your immune system a boost this autumn - Yahoo Entertainment - October 7th, 2022
- Whats Going Around: Flu cases confirmed locally - ABC27 - October 7th, 2022
- Contributor: How to Fight the Cold and the Flu This Season - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network - October 7th, 2022
- Updated COVID-19 Bivalent Booster Released in Time for Fall and Winter Omicron Wave - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun - October 7th, 2022
- Oralair pill that retrains the immune system to reduce risk of thunderstorm asthma - 7NEWS - October 7th, 2022
- COVID immune reaction could affect brain mechanisms and induce neurological symptoms - Sky News - October 7th, 2022
- 7 Surprising Health Benefits of Pumpkins - AARP - October 7th, 2022
- Why Do Some Allergies Go Away While Others Dont? - The Atlantic - October 7th, 2022
- 15 foods to boost the immune system - Medical News Today - September 4th, 2022
- The powerful supplement that could enhance your immune response to bacteria and viruses - Express - September 4th, 2022
- New research: Cancer-fighting viruses can boost body's immune response - The Indian Express - September 4th, 2022
- Long COVID: How researchers are zeroing in on the self-targeted immune attacks that may lurk behind it - The Conversation Indonesia - September 4th, 2022