Category Archives: Immunology

Yet another biotech has joined the fray against the novel coronavirus: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) andVir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) on Wednesday announced they were expanding their ongoing collaboration to include an attempt to develop RNA interference (RNAi) treatments for SARS-CoV-2.

According to the American Society for Microbiology, coronaviruses are everywhere. They are the second-leading cause of the common cold, after rhinoviruses. In an article on the society's website, Dr. Rodney Rhode wrote, "Coronaviruses ... mutate and change at a high rate, which can create havoc for both diagnostic detection as well as therapy (and vaccine) regimens."

Image source: Getty Images

The two companies have been collaborating since the 2017 founding of Vir, which specializes in using immunology to fight and prevent infectious diseases. Vir CEO George Scangos was the CEO ofBiogenbefore he took control of the start-up.

"Given the scope and speed of the COVID-19 outbreak," Scangos said, "Vir is seeking multiple approaches that combine our expertise in infectious disease with that of current and new partners to respond rapidly. Alnylam has been an excellent partner, and our complementary capabilities made this a compelling opportunity..."

As Alnylam CEO John Maraganore said, "We believe RNAi therapeutics represent a promising approach for targeting coronaviruses, like SARS-CoV-2. As the leader in RNAi therapeutics, we at Alnylam are committed to doing our part in joining other biopharmaceutical companies, like Vir, to address this emerging outbreak."

Vir will lead all development and commercialization of any selected drug molecules. Alnylam retains the option to share in the profits and losses associated with the effort. Shares of Vir were up 14% in early trading Wednesday, while Alnylam was up 3%.

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Vir Biotechnology and Alnylam Join the Fight Against COVID-19 - Motley Fool

Immunology

Dr. David Gottsegen: Coronavirus and the dangers of a president with no concern for science – GazetteNET

March 5, 2020 medical

Last week in my office, I had the first case where I questioned whether a patient could have Covid-19, or coronavirus.

The young person had traveled abroad and returned with flu-like symptoms. I discovered that it is not easy for physicians to make this diagnosis. I first called Baystate Medical Center and was directed to the Department of Public Health in Boston, where a person took my number; an epidemiologist called me back. The epidemiologist told me that this patient was low risk and did not require testing.

If she had, then I would have had to fill out a 17-page questionnaire, which changes daily, then collect a nasal and oral viral swab, and send it to Baystate, where, once a day, a courier brings them to Boston for testing, where until this week, it would be then sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Maryland.

Many people I speak with, including other doctors, are not aware of this process, thinking that there are special collection kits out there. The collection requires only an ordinary viral culture, but the process is very special.

Adding to the confusion is that President Donald Trump has said that all information about Covid-19 would come from Vice President Mike Pence, not health experts within the administration.

Hes used his bully pulpit to take aim at Democrats for creating a hoax around this new epidemic, even as public health experts like Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Immunology, said that the new coronavirus has adapted very well to humans and seems now to lead to a higher mortality rate than influenza.

In addition, budget cuts by the Trump administration have severely hampered the public health communitys efforts to protect American people from the novel coronavirus and other exotic infections. There has been controversy about his proposed reduction in funding to the CDC, since many of the cuts were not supported by Congress.

But this much is well documented: Trump eliminated the position of senior director for global health security and biodefense in the National Security Council, established after the first Ebola virus outbreak. He terminated epidemic prevention efforts in 39 out of 49 countries, including the Congo and China.

The Obama administration maintained a tiered epidemic response approach, created after the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, with 10 advanced facilities and 60 centers located one tier below. The Trump administration continued funding for the 10 advanced facilities, but eliminated the 60 intermediate treatment centers.

His administration also got rid of a U.S. Agency for International Development program called PREDICT, established in 2009 to detect new zoonotic viruses (originating in animals, like Covid-19).

For the first time in its history, the CDC is headed by a physician with no expertise in public health. In the meantime, budget cuts to public health departments meant that until this week, only three health departments across the country were able to test for coronavirus.

Then of course, are the Trump administration cuts to health care in general, to pay for the $2 trillion in tax cuts for Americas wealthiest individuals: $1.4 trillion eliminated from Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, disproportionately affecting the poor, seniors, families and children. How will this affect care for patients who have Covid-19?

Under the ACA, the number of uninsured Americans fell from 40million to about 27.5million, but because of the Trump administrations withering attacks on the Obama-era program, the number of uninsured Americans increased last year to 29.5 million. Do you think that an uninsured waitress, like my sister-in-law, who cares for her wheelchair-bound husband, can skip work if she is sick?

The same is true for millions of Americans who are the sole wage earner for their families and, thanks to the continued erosion of the labor unions in this country, have no job security. How do you think that will affect efforts to control this emerging epidemic?

This new virus, along with sickening nearly a 100,000 people, and killing thousands of them, has highlighted the dangers of having a president with no concern for science or public health, a tax structure that cripples funding for vital health services and a nation alone among modern industrialized nation which does not guarantee health care for all.

Despite all the bad news, the risk of Covid-19 to children is very low: Fewer than 1% of diagnosed cases have occurred in those less than 18 years old, and they have tended to be mild cases, many without fever.

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Dr. David Gottsegen: Coronavirus and the dangers of a president with no concern for science - GazetteNET

Immunology

AAAAI Urges Patients on Montelukast to Contact Their Healthcare Provider – PR Web

March 5, 2020 medical

MILWAUKEE (PRWEB) March 04, 2020

With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announcing it is requiring a boxed warning for montelukast due to the risk of neuropsychiatric events, such as agitation, depression, sleeping problems, and suicidal thoughts and actions, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is stressing the importance of contacting your healthcare provider if you are on this drug.

If you are taking montelukast and this is helpful for your symptoms, you should speak with your healthcare provider first prior to making a decision to suspend this medication, said AAAAI President David M. Lang, MD, FAAAAI, who is also Chair of the Allergy/Immunology Department in the Respiratory Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

Alternatively, if you begin taking montelukast, or if you have been taking montelukast, and you feel sad, experience mood changes, or vivid dreams, you should suspend montelukast and contact your healthcare provider, added Dr. Lang.

Montelukast, which is sold under the brand name Singulair and in generic form, is frequently prescribed. For asthma, montelukast can be used as the sole medication taken regularly for treatment of mild persistent asthma, or in combination with other medications (e.g., inhaled corticosteroids) for management of moderate or severe persistent asthma. Patients with asthma frequently also have allergic rhinitis.

Montelukast was initially FDA approved for management of asthma, and then was also approved for seasonal and perennial allergic rhinitis and for prevention of exercise-induced bronchospasm. FDA approval is as young as 12 months in asthma, two years in seasonal allergic rhinitis, six months in perennial allergic rhinitis, and six years in exercise induced bronchoconstriction.

The boxed warning that the FDA is now requiring strengthens an existing warning about the risk of neuropsychiatric events associated with the drug, and it advises healthcare providers to avoid prescribing montelukast for patients with mild symptoms, particularly those with allergic rhinitis.

You can learn more about asthma and allergic rhinitis on the AAAAI website, aaaai.org.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has over 7,000 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAIs Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.

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Immunology

BEYOND LOCAL: Sniffles and itchy eyes in winter? It could be allergies – TimminsToday

March 5, 2020 medical

Bad news, allergy sufferers winter wont necessarily give you a break.

There are what we call perennial allergens that never really go away, said Dr. Anne Ellis, professor and chair of the division of allergy and immunology at Queens University.

Things like house dust mites, which are microscopic spider-like insects that live in our mattress and pillow, certain moulds can live indoors in homes, and obviously if people have pets cats and dogs they usually allow them in the house and theyre not leaving, because its wintertime.

Mice also like to come inside during the winter, said Dr. Paul Keith, an associate professor in McMaster Universitys division of allergy and clinical immunology. These rodents can also be an allergy trigger for many people, he said, if they get into the house.

Part of the problem is that we spend more time indoors during the winter, Ellis said, which is not a great environment for allergy sufferers.

In winter, people usually keep their houses closed up and dont have air conditioners running or windows open which means allergens can build up in the closed area, she said. Heaters can make the air drier, which is also irritating for some.

These arent the same as seasonal allergies though.

Theres no pollen in the air right now, she said. Its tempting to think that theres something in the air when you have these intermittent mild melts. But usually whats happening there is that people who have allergies, they have hypersensitive airways anyway and so any changes in climate can trigger irritant-type symptoms in the nose.

Winter is also cold season, she said, and it can be tricky to tell the difference between an allergy and an infection.

Allergies typically would not cause you to have a fever, and you wouldnt get a sore throat.

Swollen lymph nodes and a general icky, not-great feeling are also probably a cold of some kind, not an allergy, she said.

If you do have allergies, there are things you can do to help lessen your symptoms, starting with trying to eliminate the allergen in your home.

With pets, you want to try to keep the pet out of the bedroom, so that [in] the room where you spend at least eight hours a day, youre not exposed to a higher level [of allergens], Keith said.

For dust mite allergy, we recommend covering the pillow and mattress to reduce your exposure, he said.

You should also change your sheets and pillowcases every week and wash them in hot water, Ellis said.

Similarly, Keith said, many people dont wash their winter coats very often, and these can also attract dust mites.

Air purifiers can make a difference, Ellis said, but they must be certified allergy-asthma friendly.

You may also want to try tackling your symptoms with medication. Saline nasal sprays can help wash allergens out of your nose, Keith said.

Pharmacies sell lots of very effective non-sedating antihistamines, Ellis said. She strongly recommends second-generation antihistamines, sold under brand names like Claritin and Allegra, over older antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl), because they have fewer side-effects and are more effective.

Nasal steroid sprays can also be effective, she said, though people need to be aware it can take a few days for the effect to kick in. You need to use it every day for at least a week to notice a significant improvement in your symptoms.

And, she said, if you find over-the-counter options dont work, you should consult a primary care provider or an allergist.

Allergy specialists love to see patients even with minor concerns, because we really like helping people for things that we know can be a burden to the patients who experience them.

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BEYOND LOCAL: Sniffles and itchy eyes in winter? It could be allergies - TimminsToday

Immunology

Can the Weather Make You Sick? – FOX 15

March 5, 2020 medical

We have all heard the phrase put a jacket on or youll catch a cold. well there might be some truth to this. It turns out that the weather can actually help you get sick but not in the way that you might think. According to UL Assistant Professor of Immunology Ritwij Kulkarni, while the colder temperatures of this time of year might not directly make you sick they can help viruses survive longer.

Generally the way these viruses are transmitted transmitted through Aerosols so while you are speaking a little bit of spit comes out, sneeze a little bit of spit comes out. You can imagine that aerosol falls on the surface and surface is hot then it will get dried out quickly the viruses will not survive that you can imagine that all these things are going to happen more if if there is cold weather like it will take longer for these droplets to dry out.

On top of this, during the colder months we tend to stay inside more and with this the transmission of viruses and illnesses does increase.

Why we see these viruses are more common during cold months is because we are indoors. We are more in contact with each other in that time. Chances of transmission are higher and so thats why we get those infections at that time.

No matter the weather though there is one thing that you should always be doing to help keep yourself safe and that is to wash your hands.

Hand washing is the best thing that is going to clean your hands washing hands with warm water and soap; what we learn in elementary school singing happy birthday to you and making sure that youre washing hands.

Immunology

Mitochondria-boosting compound promotes immunotherapy in mice – Drug Target Review

March 4, 2020 medical

Researchers have discovered that a small molecule can help some T cells combat tumours during PD-1 blockade immunotherapy in mice.

A small molecule that inhibits energy production in T cells allows some tumours in mice to escape treatment with an immunotherapy called PD-1 blockade therapy, says a new study from Kyoto University, Japan.

One kind of cancer immunotherapy blocks PD-1, a receptor on the surface of T cells. Cancer cells express a protein that binds to this receptor and interferes with T-cell ability to kill tumour cells. But while drugs that block this receptor can reactivate the T cells, they are not always effective.

Despite the great success of PD-1 blockade therapy, we need to improve its efficacy because more than half of patients tumours dont respond to it, said lead author Alok Kumar, a PhD student in the Department of Immunology and Genomic Medicine at Kyoto University.

To learn why so many tumours fail to respond to PD-1 blockade therapy, Kumar and his colleagues studied mice with two types of tumour cells: some that were sensitive to PD-1 blockade therapy and others that were not. This allowed the team to identify two different types of tumours that do not respond to PD-1. One type suppressed the immune system and caused even the PD-1-sensitive tumour cells to grow, while the other had no effect on PD-1-sensitive tumour cells.

We found that some human cancer cells release immunosuppressive molecules that inhibit the activity of energy-producing mitochondria in T cells, Kumar explained. Treating the mice with a mitochondria-boosting compound reversed this effect in the immunesuppressing tumour.

However, the immunotherapy treatment had no effect on the other type of tumour. Instead of impairing energy production in T cells, the other tumour made itself invisible to the immune system by failing to produce a protein that helps immune cells recognise tumour cells.

The identity of the molecule that helped the first type of tumour suppress mitochondria is currently unknown. The researchers hope that if they can find it, they can create drugs that hinder its activity. If we could identify these unknown factors and develop drugs that block them, we could save patients lives by using the drugs alongside PD-1 blockade therapy to prevent tumours from defending themselves, says senior author Tasuku Honjo, Professor of Immunology and Genomic Medicine at Kyoto University.

The study was published in eLife.

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Mitochondria-boosting compound promotes immunotherapy in mice - Drug Target Review

Immunology

Immunology in coccidiosis in chickens: The role of cytokines IL-2 and IFN-gamma – The Poultry Site

March 4, 2020 medical

Innate immunity is mediated by subpopulations of immune cells that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Adaptive immunity, which is important in conferring protection against secondary infections, involves subtypes of T and B lymphocytes that mediate antigen specific immune response. Experimental studies in coccidiosis in chickens now support the role of lymphocytes and their secreted products (Lillehoj et al. 2011)

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Immunology in coccidiosis in chickens: The role of cytokines IL-2 and IFN-gamma - The Poultry Site

Immunology

Tulane scientist named Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology – News from Tulane

March 4, 2020 medical

Chad Steele, professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine, has been named a 2020 Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM). Steeles current research focuses on better understanding lung immune responses during acute versus chronic exposure to the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. (Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano)

Chad Steele, professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine, has been elected to the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM). This prestigious honor recognizes scientists for outstanding contributions in a wide variety of microbiology sectors, including research, education, public health, industry and government service. Steele is one of only 68 scientists worldwide to be elected as new fellows to the Class of 2020.

Steeles current research focuses on better understanding lung immune responses during acute versus chronic exposure to the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. The fungus is found in soil, plant matter and household dust, and produces airborne spores which can cause some people to get a range of illnesses, from asthma to pneumonia. In the Steele Laboratory at Tulane School of Medicine, Steele and his research team have developed experimental animal models that mimic the pathology observed in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (fungal pneumonia) and fungal-associated allergic airway inflammation (fungal asthma).

Steele says being elected as fellow is exciting and humbling. It means your peers have recognized your contribution to the field of microbiology over many years in terms of contributing to researching, supporting advancement of the field and training the next generation of scientists in microbiology, Steele said.

Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process, based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology. The Class of 2020 represents fellows from 11 different countries, including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, France, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Professor Steele is an outstanding scientist, and also brings dynamic, inspirational, and collaborative leadership to Tulane, says Dr. Lee Hamm, dean of Tulane University School of Medicine. He is not only performing outstanding scientific work himself but raising the level of achievement among those around him and in his area of work.

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Tulane scientist named Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology - News from Tulane

Immunology

BEYOND LOCAL: Sniffles and itchy eyes in winter? It could be allergies – ThoroldNews.com