Bz-423, a mitochondrial F1F0-ATP synthase inhibitor, that has previously shown promise for the treatment of autoimmune disorders such as lupus, arthritis and psoriasis has now been shown to halt the progression of established graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in mouse models of…
Blog Archives
Trauma: the Enemy Within
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an exaggerated host inflammatory response to infection (sepsis) or to physical insults such as trauma. SIRS can lead to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and, amongst the under-35s, trauma is the leading cause of…
Immune Response to Swine Flu May Explain Disease Severity
The pandemic swine flu (H1N1) virus has proved to be less lethal than originally feared but, although most infected individuals experience relatively mild and self-limiting symptoms, some patients with no previous underlying medical condition have died. An international team of…
P-glycoprotein Opens Gate to Neuroinflammation
P-glycoprotein (P-gp, ABCB1) was originally characterized by its ability to confer a multidrug-resistant phenotype to cancer cells. It was also the first drug efflux transporter to be detected on blood-brain barrier endothelial cells and is now recognized to be involved…
Toll-Like Receptor 2 Linked to Atherosclerotic Damage
Atherosclerosis is caused by a build up of lipids, cholesterol, calcium, and cellular debris within the artery, resulting in plaque formation. This restricts the flow of blood and decreases oxygen supply to target organs, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases…
Reflux Esophagitis May Not Be Caused Directly by Acid Burn
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER), or acid reflux, which occurs when the lower esophageal sphincter opens spontaneously or doesn’t close properly, is experienced intermittently by most people. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the amount of gastric juice that refluxes into the…
Antibody Recruiting Molecules Target HIV, Cancer
Both HIV and cancer cells have found ways to evade the body’s immune system but researchers at Yale University have now found a way to boost the body’s ability to fight HIV and cancer. The team have identified bifunctional small…
New Role for Immune System in Osteoporosis
Many reports have linked high cholesterol with osteoporosis and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) have been proposed to reduce the risk of fractures, although clinical data have been more equivocal than results from animal studies. Mechanisms for the beneficial actions of…
Complement-ary Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease?
The complement system is a complex cascade of reactions forming a central component of the innate immune system which assists in the removal of invading pathogens and cellular debris, and in the processing of immune complexes. There is substantial evidence…
Long-Life Immunity
The primary function of the thymus is to produce mature T-cells and to implement controls to prevent auto-immunity. Lymphocyte precursors migrate from the bone-marrow to the thymus, where they become thymocytes and subsequently mature into T-cells. Since the T-cell repertoire…
