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Allergy and immunology news

Deadly Candida auris hides in hair follicles by rewiring skin immunity

Since its discovery in Japan in 2009, a deadly fungus has emerged in hospitals around the world. The pathogen, known as Candida auris, lives silently on the skin. But it can be deadly if it reaches the bloodstream, killing ...

Discovery reveals aging human brains receive immune cell reinforcements from blood

The brain's immune system has long been thought to exist independently from the rest of the body, complete with its own specialized immune cells and a blood-brain barrier that limits what can travel into the brain.

Researchers discover immune 'off switch' used by cancer cells

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a protein that cancer cells use to shut down the body's immune response, a discovery that could help scientists develop new treatments that make cancer immunotherapies more effective.

A high-sugar diet may worsen asthma, even in the short term

Sugar consumption has been linked to an increased risk of cavities and weight gain. In the long term, it may also contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes. For people living with asthma, however, the impact can be even ...

Leaky gut might make food allergies worse

A "leaky gut" might increase the severity of food allergies, according to new research conducted in mice and published in The Journal of Immunology. The researchers found that changes to the gut microbiome in mice were linked ...

Long COVID and immune 'soldier' cells: Q&A

Extreme fatigue, a racing pulse, shortness of breath, brain fog, aching joints—the symptoms of long COVID can vary widely, change unpredictably and be difficult to recognize as signs of the condition. Long COVID also remains ...

Building a blueprint to manipulate the immune system

Why do some vaccines protect for a lifetime, while threats like tumors and viruses present such an ongoing challenge? The answer lies in the immune system's memory and how invading pathogens hack the system.

Long non-coding RNA emerges as a 'kill switch' for macrophages

Macrophages are considered the "scavenger cells" of the immune system, but some pathogens exploit these very cells as hiding places. Researchers from the Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI) in Würzburg ...

Blood vessels guide immune cells to metastases

It has long been suspected that endothelial cells, the specialized cells lining the inner walls of blood vessels, play a key role in determining how the body's immune system responds to tumors. Researchers at the German Cancer ...