autoimmune diseases

Radiation Linked With Autoimmune Diseases In Women

harminka — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:49:32 -0500

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight may be associated with the development of certain autoimmune diseases, particularly in women, according to a study by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Potential autoimmunity-inducing cells found in healthy adults

harminka — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:24:35 -0600

It's not just patients with autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that have self-attacking immune cells—healthy people have them too, according to a new report in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

New way to block inflammation in autoimmune disease

harminka — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:51:54 -0500

Researchers from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have identified a promising new target for autoimmune disease treatment – a cell-surface receptor called DR3.

Specific location of TRAF1/C5 gene associated with multiple autoimmune diseases

harminka — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 01:28:07 -0500

The TRAF1/C5 locus on chromosome 9 has been revealed to play a role in multiple autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to new data presented today at EULAR 2008, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Paris, France.

Researchers from 5 countries to test hygiene hypothesis

harminka — Wed, 28 May 2008 13:27:49 -0500

High living standards and the life style connected to them seem to promote the development of autoimmune diseases and allergic symptoms. This has lead to the assumption that the immune system begins to overreact to the organism’s own structures or to exogenous non-infectious proteins, i.e. allergens, when it does not have to work hard enough to protect the individual from infections.

Sugar linkage could lead to better treatment for autoimmune diseases

harminka — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:47:10 -0500

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire Glycomics Center have helped identify a specific carbohydrate structure that confers anti-inflammatory activity to a glycoprotein antibody that could lead to improved treatment of autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. The study, reported in a recent edition of the journal Science, was led by immunologist Jeffrey Ravetch of Rockefeller University.

Romanian community provides insight into genetic factors associated with vitiligo

harminka — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:37:34 -0500

An isolated, inbred Romanian community has a higher than average frequency of the skin disease vitiligo and other autoimmune diseases, suggesting a genetic variation that may indicate susceptibility to the condition in a broader population, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Step toward more targeted treatment for auto-immune diseases

harminka — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:54:41 -0600

More and more people in Western society are suffering from autoimmune diseases. Discovering the cause of these chronic inflammations is a first important step in the search for targeted medicines. VIB researchers connected to Ghent University and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven joined forces and have elucidated the function of MALT1, a key player in controlling inflammatory reactions.

Deficient regulators in the immune system responsible for type 1 diabetes

harminka — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:48:12 -0600

The main regulators of the immune system, called CD4+Treg cells, are thought to be highly involved in a large range of immune diseases.

Direct route from brain to immune system

harminka — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:31:45 -0500

It used to be dogma that the brain was shut away from the actions of the immune system, shielded from the outside forces of nature. But that’s not how it is at all. In fact, thanks to the scientific detective work of Kevin Tracey, MD, it turns out that the brain talks directly to the immune system, sending commands that control the body’s inflammatory response to infection and autoimmune diseases.

Scientists discover direct route from brain to immune system

harminka — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 23:30:25 -0500

HRI controls anemia of inflammation with an iron fist

harminka — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 06:09:48 -0500

Maintaining the appropriate amount of iron in our bodies is important, too little results in anemia and too much is also toxic to the body. Anemia is a symptom of many different diseases including erythroid protoporphyria and beta-thalassemia. It is also observed in individuals who suffer from chronic diseases such as autoimmune diseases and cancer when it is known as anemia of inflammation.