https://medicalxpress.com/immunology-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Allergy and immunology Deep in the lungs, resident memory B cells stand guard against influenza reinfection—but whether they remain there may depend on how strongly they are signaled through their own receptors. New research using an animal model of influenza infection provides fresh insight into how these cells form and persist, findings that could inform the design of vaccines aimed at strengthening immune defenses in the lungs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-robust-flu-cells-residents-lungs.html Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:00:01 EDT news695651897 The advent of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in 2020 changed the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the Nobel Prize–winning technology is being adapted to fight cancer, with mRNA vaccines in clinical trials for melanoma, small-cell lung cancer and bladder cancer, among others, opening the door to new ways of preventing and treating the disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-mrna-cancer-vaccines-destroy-tumors.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 14:00:02 EDT news695564913 Restricting calorie intake in species such as mice, rhesus monkeys, and fruit flies has been shown to extend their lifespans. In some cases, these animals not only live longer, but are also free of disease. But when pushed too far, calorie restriction can have negative impacts. Mice that undergo a 40% reduction in calorie intake, for example, are more susceptible to infections, less likely to reproduce, and experience stunted growth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-calories-aging-compromising-health.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:40:02 EDT news695638498 Cancer risk increases with age and is often more aggressive and difficult to treat in older adults. However, fewer than 10% of mouse studies use aged animals, with most relying on mice roughly equivalent to humans in their early 20s. This discrepancy is one potential reason so many cancer drugs that show promise in preclinical models go on to fail in human trials. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-older-mice-insight-cancer-aging.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:20:04 EDT news695645341 UPMC and University of Pittsburgh clinician-scientists have weaned and kept multiple liver transplantation patients off of all immunosuppressant drugs for more than three years through a first-in-human clinical trial of a unique "immune priming" therapy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-human-trial-primes-immune-donor.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:05 EDT news695548141 The immune system acts as a critical sentinel of organismal aging, integrating the sensing of physiological states with the execution of defense and clearance functions. Immunosenescence not only reflects systemic functional decline but also serves as a central driver of multiple age-related diseases. However, owing to the high heterogeneity and complexity of the immune system, accurately quantifying its aging status and identifying actionable intervention targets have been major scientific challenges in the field. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-high-precision-human-immune-aging.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:00:01 EDT news695563915 An innovative gene-editing strategy could establish a new way for the body to manufacture therapeutic proteins—including certain kinds of highly potent antibodies that are naturally difficult to produce—by reprogramming the immune system itself. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-immune-therapeutic-proteins.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:08 EDT news695550288 UCLA researchers have identified a rogue population of immune cells that quietly accumulates in aging tissues and in the livers of people with fatty liver disease. Clearing these cells, they found, dramatically reduced inflammation and reversed liver damage in mice—even while the animals remained on an unhealthy diet. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-hidden-army-zombie-immune-cells.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:00:14 EDT news695464057 The human immune system is finely tuned to detect and destroy viral threats. But this same defense system can misfire. When fragments of the body's own damaged DNA are mistaken for viral invaders, the result is a powerful, misplaced inflammatory response that harms the body it is meant to protect. Now, an international team has identified this misdirected immune response as a central driver of tissue degeneration in severe, rapid-aging disorders. By reducing this false alarm, the researchers were able to restore function across multiple biological systems. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-misdirected-dna-alarm-reshape-treatment.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:20:03 EDT news695486377 Researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) show that active mitochondria maintain dendritic cells, the immune system's sentinels, in a "ready-to-respond" state, linking cellular metabolism to gene regulation and T-cell activation. The findings, published in Cell Metabolism, open new avenues to improve vaccines and cancer immunotherapy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-mitochondria-key-immune-cells-ready.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:08 EDT news695463601 The immune system's B cells create antibodies that can mount a response against just about anything—either destroying a pathogen or instructing the rest of the immune system to go after the offender. But what happens when these antibodies malfunction? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-immune-conveyor-belt-defective-antibodies.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:00:01 EDT news695380142 The average human has about 1.8 trillion immune cells. These cells patrol the body for bacteria, viruses, cancers, and other threats. Vaccines enhance this security system by teaching our immune cells to target specific pathogens. According to the World Health Organization, vaccine-induced immunity saves about six lives every minute. But how long does this protective immune "memory" last? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-closer-immune-memory-spur-lethal.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:00:04 EDT news695403061 New research suggests that autoimmune diseases may be driven by DNA mutations in immune cells that remove the natural brakes on the immune system. It reveals a previously hidden role for somatic mutations—DNA changes acquired throughout life—in diseases beyond cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-silent-cell-mutations-years-thyroid.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:00:08 EDT news695378534 Vaccines play a critical role in preventing infectious diseases, but their success often depends on adjuvants—substances that enhance immune responses. While these compounds improve vaccine effectiveness, they can also trigger reactogenicity, such as local swelling or fever. For decades, scientists have assumed that these beneficial and adverse effects are closely linked, making it difficult to improve one without affecting the other. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-vaccine-side-effects-weakening.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:00:01 EDT news695318882 Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition estimated to affect approximately 1 in 100 children worldwide. This condition is characterized by differences in how people communicate and interact with others, as well as restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-neuroinflammation-triggers-autism-regression-mouse.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:30:01 EDT news695304832 Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the body attacks its own insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Some individuals with type 1 diabetes experience cognitive differences, sometimes described as "brain fog," as well as memory lapses, which have often been attributed to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-genetic-diabetes-brain-cells.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:20:06 EDT news695287981 New findings reveal that obesity significantly impaired the quality and longevity of antibody responses to a Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine in a mouse model. The impaired antibody production was due to defects in germinal centers, a transient part of the immune system where specialized immune cells, called B cells, produce antibodies and build memory against pathogens. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-obesity-derail-vaccine-response-lung.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:00:01 EDT news695035117 Scientists investigating the naturally occurring immunopeptide PEPITEM have shown reductions in arthritic joint swelling to a degree comparable to the current standard of care, and reduce the inflammatory changes that cause joint damage. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-pepitem-therapy-potential-early-stage.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:00:02 EDT news695035561 A new study from the University of Gothenburg may help guide the development of better influenza vaccines. Memory cells in the nose slow the influenza virus as soon as it enters the body. They reduce viral levels and may help protect against more severe illness. The findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-immune-cells-nose-influenza-virus.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:00:05 EDT news694773132 A research team has discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which the immune system fights bacterial infections. The scientists found that a specific protein, the chloride channel PACC1, is crucial for immune cells to effectively kill bacteria. If the protein is missing, it leads to increased inflammatory reactions, as well as increased mortality in an animal model in cases of bacterial sepsis. In the long term, the findings could help develop new treatment strategies for bacterial sepsis—especially in light of rising antibiotic resistance. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-sepsis-drug-boosting-chloride-channel.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:00:04 EDT news694792915 More than 35,000 men in the United States die from prostate cancer each year. Now, a new study reveals the immune cell weaponry we might use to save lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-prostate-immune-niches-cells-persist.html Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:00:01 EDT news694774170 Allergy affects more than one billion people worldwide—and the number is rising. For many, it means mild symptoms such as itching and a runny nose. For others, it can develop into life-threatening reactions. Now, two new studies bring researchers an important step closer to both understanding and potentially controlling the mechanisms that drive allergic disease. An international research team has mapped how the body's central allergy antibody, IgE, functions at the molecular level—and at the same time demonstrated a new way to block allergic reactions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-molecular-reveal-allergic-reactions-block.html Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:00:01 EDT news694960654 Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have uncovered a key reason why immunotherapy has largely failed in pancreatic cancer—and identified a promising strategy to overcome that resistance. The study, published in the journal Immunity, shows that pancreatic tumors actively reshape their immune environment by co-opting regulatory immune cells that normally shut down tumor-killing cells. By reprogramming those cells, the research reveals a potential pathway to make immunotherapy effective against one of the deadliest and most treatment-resistant cancers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-reprogramming-regulatory-cells-immunotherapy-pancreatic.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:00:03 EDT news695047128 Since 2017, a personalized immunotherapy called Chimeric Antigen Receptor, or CAR-T cell treatment, has worked wonders to treat patients with blood cancers such as leukemia. But when it comes to treating solid tumor cancers, such as lung, breast and kidney cancers that make up the bulk of these malignancies, this type of immune cell therapy has fallen short. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-gene-obstacles-treatment-common-cancer.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:00:01 EDT news695045941 Statistics show clear differences in the population's immune system according to sex: men are more susceptible to infections and cancers, while women have stronger immune responses, which translate, for example, into better responses to vaccines. Even so, with a more reactive immune system, the probability of the body attacking itself also increases, causing 80% of autoimmune disease development to occur in women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-women-immune-bigger-age-men.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:20:04 EDT news695038681 The immune system is designed to protect us against viruses and bacteria. In autoimmune diseases, however, the immune system instead attacks the body's own cells. Conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) and rheumatoid arthritis are well-known examples. It is estimated that just under 250,000 people in Norway live with some form of autoimmune disease, with approximately 8% to 10% of the population worldwide. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-overactive-immune-cancer.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:20:03 EDT news694958762 Sauna bathing releases white blood cells into the bloodstream, a new study from Finland shows. Circulating white blood cells play a key role in the body's defense against various pathogens and diseases. The results were published in the journal Temperature. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-sauna-white-blood-cells-surging.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:03 EDT news694948621 Antibody therapeutics are laboratory-made proteins designed to work like the body's natural antibodies. They are widely used to treat diseases such as cancer by binding to specific targets, including cancer cells or inflammatory molecules. However, in some cases, the body may recognize these drugs as foreign and produce antidrug antibodies (ADAs) to eliminate them. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-antibody-drugs-strong-immune-cell.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:20:01 EDT news694879201 A new method of making cancer cells more visible to the immune system could improve how well immunotherapy works against a range of different tumors, potentially leading to more effective treatment for patients, according to a new study led by a team of UCL researchers. The study, published in Immunity, focuses on a cellular process called nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), which acts as a quality-control system inside cells. Its job is to detect and destroy genetic messages—known as RNA—that are faulty and could otherwise produce broken or potentially harmful proteins that can damage cells or contribute to disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-blocking-rna-cleanup-expose-hidden.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:00:08 EDT news694876927 A new single-cell technology is giving scientists their clearest view yet of immune cell behavior—capturing not just genetic intent, but real-time activity. By measuring RNA and proteins simultaneously, it reveals cytokine activity with greater accuracy, strengthening the foundation for understanding cancer, inflammation and treatment resistance. Published in Scientific Reports, the findings could ultimately sharpen immunotherapy design and improve predictions of patient response. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-sequencing-method-exposes-hidden-gaps.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:00:01 EDT news694794962