Preclinical tests at UAB last year showed potent systemic and mucosal immune responses in mice after a single intranasal dose. The vaccine candidate was developed by Maryland-based Altimmune Inc. Credit: UAB BIRMINGHAM, Ala.

Chronic viral infections increase severity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) coinfection.Here, we examined how chronic viral infections alter the p…...

Foxp3⁺ regulatory T (T_reg) cells expressing the interleukin (IL)-33 receptor ST2 mediate tissue repair in response to IL-33. Whether T_reg cells also respond to the alarmin IL-33 to regulate specific aspects of the immune response is not known.

Scientists have stumbled across the reason for wombats’ unique cube-shaped poo, finding proof you can fit a square peg through a round hole.

La Chine recourt de façon croissante aux dépistages rectaux pour tester les sujets à risque et les voyageurs arrivant de l'étranger. La méthode rebute.

Making “Edible Vaccines” in Plants Some scientists believe that vaccines could be produced in edible plants, such as bananas or potatoes, which would then provide the delivery vehicle. This approach would yield vaccines that are needle-free and require no adjuvants, chemicals that stimulate the immune response. When the plant is ingested, the plant cell walls would protect the vaccine antigens from degradation by stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Then in the intestine, the antigens would be released and transported into the circulatory system. Edible vaccines would stimulate both mucosal and systemic immunity, providing a higher level of protection than traditional vaccines. Advocates claim that vaccines produced in edible plants would be low-cost and would not require refrigeration, making them more accessible to poor people in developing countries. But although several edible vaccines have entered clinical trials, none has yet been approved for marketing.5 Indeed, many technical questions remain to be answered before edible vaccines will become a viable option. Although a potato may express vaccine antigens, how many people will eat a raw potato? If the potato is cooked, will the vaccine remain effective? How does one ensure a uniform product or determine the appropriate dose? Some scientists are now thinking of producing edible vaccines in bananas or potatoes and processing them into a powder, which would be more usable and consistent. It is not yet clear, however, if this approach is commercially viable. In any event, regulatory safeguards will be required to protect consumer health and the environment.

Respiratory diseases are frequently characterised by epithelial injury, airway inflammation, defective tissue repair, and airway remodelling. This may occur in a subacute or chronic context, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or occur acutely as in pathogen challenge and...

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe acute respiratory symptoms. Due to the lack of medical countermeasures, effective and safe vaccines against MERS-CoV infection are urgently required.

Vierboom et al. demonstrate the induction of trained immunity in blood and bone marrow
monocytes after vaccination with live attenuated TB vaccines in nonhuman primates. Mucosal respiratory delivery of BCG or MTBVAC induces trained immunity more efficiently compared to standard intradermal...

Sufficient exposure to natural environments, in particular soil and its microbes, has been suggested to be protective against allergies.We aim at gain…...

Human microbiome has emerged as a central research topic in human biology and biomedicine. Current microbiome studies generate high-throughput omics data across different body sites, populations, and lifetime.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) are associated with changes in the composition and metabolic activities of the gut microbiota. However, the causal role played by the gut microbiota in individual susceptibility to NAFLD and particularly at its early stage is still unclear.

Helper T cell subsets are characterized functionally by the cytokines they produce. Benoist and colleagues demonstrate that in vivo helper T cells do not manifest as discrete helper subsets but rather form a continuum shaped by microbial exposure.