Tag Archive for 'Interferon'

Microscopic cysts containing Toxoplasma gondii develop in the tissues of many vertebrates. Here, in mouse brain tissue, thousands of bradyzoites (stained red) are enveloped by a thin parasite cyst wall. Image credit: Jitinder P. Dubey.

New Study Shows How Dormant Toxoplasma Parasites Manipulate Neurons to Survive

Dec 27, 2021 by News Staff

Toxoplasma gondii develops a latent infection in the muscle and central nervous system that acts as a reservoir for acute-stage reactivation in vulnerable...

Ivana Buric et al analyze how the behavior of our genes is affected by different MBIs including mindfulness and yoga. Image credit: Nato Pereira.

Meditation Enhances Immune System without Activating Inflammatory Signals, Study Says

Dec 16, 2021 by Enrico de Lazaro

Meditation is an effective behavioral intervention for treating various conditions associated with a weakened immune system, according to new research...

Transmission electron microscopy analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infected intestinal organoids: (a to h) overview of an intact organoid (a) showing the onset of virus infection (b to d) at different stages of the viral lifecycle, i.e., early double membrane vesicles (DMVs); (e), asterisk, initial viral production in the Golgi apparatus (f and g) and complete occupation of virus particles inside the endomembrane system (h); (i to k) extracellular viruses are observed in the lumen of the organoid (i), and are found at the basal (j) and apical side (k) alongside the microvilli (arrows). Scale bars - 10 μm (a), 2.5 μm (b to d), 250 nm (e), (f), and (h to k) and 100 nm (g). (l to q) Overview of an organoid (l) showing severely infected cells (m and o), disintegrated cells (o) and stressed cells as evident from the atypical nucleoli (p); intact cells reveal DMV areas of viral replication (p), asterisks, and infected Golgi apparatus (q); (r) extracellular clusters of viruses. Scale bars - 10 μm (l), 2.5 μm (m to p) and 250 nm (p to r). Image credit: Lamers et al, doi: 10.1126/science.abc1669.

SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Can Infect Gut Enterocytes

May 5, 2020 by News Staff

SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease, can infect enterocytes in the intestine and multiply there, according to a study by researchers...

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (red) infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample. Image credit: NIAID.

Study Reveals New Clues about Biology of COVID-19

Apr 22, 2020 by News Staff

A new study published in the journal Cell pinpoints the likely cell types SARS-CoV-2, a new coronavirus behind the COVID-19 disease, infects; it also shows...

Model of dynamic interactions between the skin immune system (SIS) and its microbial/chemical milieu in human facial skin: (A) infancy -- before the development of stabilized microbial communities, an early tolerogenic interaction between the maturing SIS and the microbiota is prevalent; (B) after this initial period, a homeostatic crosstalk evolves between the developed SIS and a childhood-type stable microbiota; (C) adolescence -- enhanced sebum secretion and shift in the microbiota composition (and probably other uncovered events, e.g., barrier breach) might contribute to a dynamic change in the communication between the SIS and the microbiota in the skin, leading to inflammatory interactions; cytokines associated with a homeostatic dialog may become highly increased in acne lesions (relative to non-lesions), promoting inflammation together with newly secreted proinflammatory mediators produced by keratinocytes, dendritic cells (DCs), and subsequently, infiltrating inflammatory T helper (Th)1 and Th17(23) (for IL-23) cells, neutrophils, and macrophages; these mediators initiate follicular hyperkeratinization, closure of the follicular infundibulum, comedone formation, and the development of acne papules, pustules, and nodules; the extent and time course of inflammation can vary across a wide spectrum among teenagers; (D) following the resolution of acne, in adult SGR skin, under steady-state, SIS and region-specific microbes carry on a homeostatic dialog with the microbiota again, mediated by the controlled production of innate immune-cell-derived factors, including complement components, AMPs, IL-1, TSLP, and IL-7; hair follicles may play a pivotal role in this crosstalk, supporting the residency and recruitment of LCs, Tregs, ILCs, as well as nonpathogenic Th17(β) cells to maintain homeostasis; upward arrows depict increases (expression, concentrations, and ratios). Propionibacterium acnes (Propionibacteriaceae) = Cutibacterium acnes. Other relevant bacterial genera are noted in the schematic. Abbreviations: AMP - antimicrobial peptide, IL – interleukin, ILC - innate lymphoid cell, LC - Langerhans cell, mDC - myeloid dendritic cell, RORγt - RAR-related orphan receptor γt, SGR - sebaceous gland rich, SIS - skin immune system, TGF - transforming growth factor, Th - T helper, Treg - regulatory T cell, TSLP - thymic stromal lymphopoietin. Image credit: Szegedi et al, doi: 10.1016/j.it.2019.08.006.

Adolescent Acne Vulgaris is Naturally Developing, Transient Inflammatory State, Researchers Say

Oct 1, 2019 by News Staff

Acne vulgaris, which occurs in 44-95% of teenagers of varying ethnicities, represents a natural, transient inflammatory interaction of adolescent facial...

Bradley et al identify lung stroma as the target of microbiota-driven signals that set the interferon signature in these cells; antibiotic treatment reduces gut microbiota and the lung stromal interferon signature and facilitates early influenza virus replication in lung epithelia, effects that can be reversed by fecal transplantation. Image credit: Bradley et al, doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.105.

Study: Gut Bacteria Stimulate Antiviral Signals in Lung Cells to Protect against Flu Virus

Jul 8, 2019 by News Staff

In a study of mice, an international team of scientists has discovered that signals from gut bacteria help to maintain a first line of defense in the lining...