(Press-News.org) When thinking about the immune system, most people think about B and T cells and how they can be trained to recognize pathogens, preventing re-infections. Besides this “adaptive” immune system, we also have an “innate” immune system which acts as first line defense against e.g. bacteria and viruses. The textbook view is that the innate immune system is non-specific so that it’s response always follows the same pattern, even for recurring infections. However, research published today in Stem Cell Reports provides evidence that brief exposure to certain “danger signals” can prime the body’s innate immune system into a long-term hyperreactive and inflammatory state termed “trained innate immunity.” In this process, not only the white blood cells, which are the "work horses” of the innate immune system, but also the long-lived blood stem cells can be trained, generating a long-lasting hyperreactive and inflammatory state. This mechanism can help the body fight infections and prevent their recurrence, but it can also increase the risk of certain cardiovascular disease, in which the innate immune cells actually contribute to disease pathophysiology. To date, most of our knowledge on trained innate immunity comes from animal models and it is not clear if the human innate immune system reacts in the same way as those models.
To test this, PhD student Daniela Flores-Gomez from the team of Niels Riksen and Siroon Bekkering at Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands, isolated blood stem cells and white blood cells from human bone marrow and exposed them to the protein IL-1beta, which is one of the main inducers of trained immunity in mice. Just like their mouse counterparts, the human blood stem cells divided more and made more innate white blood cells when stimulated with IL-1beta. Further, the trained white blood cells were hyperreactive, meaning that they produced more inflammatory proteins and stuck more to blood vessels. Interestingly, IL-1beta levels are elevated in patients after heart attack and these patients have an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis. This might be explained by a trained, hyperreactive immune system with stickier, plaque-forming white blood cells. A fat and sugar-rich diet might worsen this effect, as it promotes trained immunity through IL-1beta signalling in lab animals.
This data shows that trained immunity in humans and lab animals follows the same principles and opens up new avenues for studying trained immunity and its connection to cardiovascular disease and other diseases linked to hyperinflammation.
END
Stem cells shed insight into cardiovascular disease processes
2024-11-07
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
New study: Plastics pollution worsen the impacts of all Planetary Boundaries
2024-11-07
“It’s necessary to consider the full life cycle of plastics, starting from the extraction of fossil fuel and the primary plastic polymer production” says lead article writer Patricia Villarrubia-Gómez at Stockholm Resilience Centre.
Plastics are not as safe and inert as previously thought. The new research article written by an international team of researchers uses the planetary boundaries framework to structure the rapidly mounting evidence of the effects of plastics on the environment, health and human wellbeing.
500 million tons of plastics are now produced yearly but only nine percent get recycled globally. Plastics are everywhere: ...
Long-term risks from prostate cancer treatment detailed in new report
2024-11-07
The risks of adverse effects and complications from treatment for prostate cancer are substantial and continue for years after treatment ends. The largest comprehensive analysis reporting long-term risks from such treatment relative to the risks faced by a control group of untreated men has just been published in the journal JAMA Oncology.
In the 12 years following treatment, men whose initial treatment was a prostatectomy (removal of all or part of the prostate) had a risk of urinary or sexual complications ...
Does more virtual care mean more low-value care? Study suggests no
2024-11-07
Before 2024 ends, Congress will decide whether to keep or change rules about telehealth, or let them expire. And even though the decision will focus on Medicare’s payment for virtual patient care, it will likely impact telehealth access for people with other kinds of health insurance too.
Now, a new University of Michigan study suggests that policymakers can rest easier about one of the top worries about telehealth: that virtual care will drive up the use of tests and scans that patients don’t need, wasting money and resources.
In fact, the study shows that low-value care didn’t rise faster at primary care practices that used telehealth the most, compared with those ...
City of Hope Research Spotlight, October 2024
2024-11-07
City of Hope® Research Spotlight offers a glimpse at groundbreaking scientific and clinical discoveries advancing lifesaving cures for patients with cancer, diabetes and other chronic, life-threatening diseases. Each spotlight features research-related news such as recognitions, collaborations and the latest research defining the future of medical treatment.
This roundup highlights the biology behind our sense of smell, real-world data that can be used to refine esophageal cancer treatment guidelines, a potential new approach to treating patients with type 2 diabetes, a new way to target pancreatic cancer ...
Increased focus on comorbidities, socioeconomic factors would help improve health equity for people with COPD
2024-11-07
Miami (November 7, 2024) – Health care providers treating people with COPD also need to focus on the person’s socioeconomic factors, along with considering their additional health conditions or comorbidities, according to a new article. The article is published in the September 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease, comprising several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics ...
Gut dysbiosis and fecal microbiota transplantation in pancreatic cancer: Current status and perspectives
2024-11-07
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is recognized as one of the most lethal cancers, with an estimated five-year survival rate of approximately 10%. This poor prognosis is largely attributed to the challenges in early diagnosis, aggressive tumor biology, and limited treatment options. Most PDAC cases are diagnosed at advanced stages due to its typically asymptomatic onset, making only a small percentage of patients eligible for potentially curative surgical resection. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in PDAC, as ...
Prevalence of unrecognized cognitive impairment in socially and economically vulnerable older adults is high
2024-11-07
INDIANAPOLIS – One of the first studies to investigate the prevalence of unrecognized cognitive impairment among patients seen at Federally Qualified Health Centers, has found that it is ubiquitous, especially among minoritized older adults. These facilities provide primary care and preventive services regardless of ability to pay or health insurance status to more than 30 million patients, including a growing number of older adults.
Early and equitable detection of cognitive impairment can benefit patients and their families. Delaying diagnosis leads to poor health outcomes for patients ...
Men who have sex with men in Europe still vulnerable to hepatitis A and B, highlighting need for public health action and support
2024-11-07
Research analysing European survey data from 113,884 men who have sex with men (MSM) and published in Eurosurveillance indicates that while most MSM have a basic understanding of viral hepatitis, only 44% report having been vaccinated against both hepatitis A and B. The data highlight notable immunisation gaps despite available vaccination and recommendations. Strong public health support and creating an open environment that enables MSM to follow recommendations will be crucial to reduce outbreaks among MSM and eliminate hepatitis B.
Men who have sex with men are more likely to get infected with ...
Cancer genetic risk assessment guidelines expand to meet growing understanding of hereditary risk
2024-11-07
PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [November 7, 2024] — The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)—an alliance of leading cancer centers focusing on maintaining evidence-based expert consensus driven guidelines for care—announces the publication of the expanded NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Breast, Ovarian, Pancreatic, and Prostate. This closely follows the recent publication of the expanded NCCN Guidelines® for Genetic/Familial High-Risk Assessment: Colorectal, Endometrial, and Gastric.
Additional cancer types were added to the title and content for both guidelines. ...
Advances in screening and early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
2024-11-07
Pancreatic cancer (PC) presents substantial diagnostic challenges due to its aggressive nature and lack of early symptoms, leading to late detection and poor prognosis. According to recent cancer statistics, PC ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths globally, with increasing incidence, particularly in high-risk regions such as China. Factors such as a shortage of specific and reliable screening markers, along with a lower prevalence in the general population, make effective large-scale screening a formidable tasko assess advancements in diagnostic techniques, artificial intelligence integration, biomarker discoveries, ...