'NATURE' ARTICLE: Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors Aug 19, 2008
Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors : Article : Nature ... Neutralizing antibodies derived from the B cells of 1918 influenza pandemic survivors ... Seven of the eight donor samples tested had circulating B cells that secreted antibodies that bound the 1918 HA. We isolated B cells from subjects and generated five monoclonal antibodies that showed potent neutralizing activity against 1918 virus from three separate donors. (USA Today -- Tech)
Rituximab Promotes Healing in Common Kidney Disease Aug 16, 2008
The drug, originally developed as a cancer treatment for people with B cell lymphoma, selectively depletes B lymphocytes, cells that produce kidney-damaging autoantibodies ... "This represents the first demonstration that kidney injury in membranous nephropathy can regress after selective depletion of B cells. Thus, the present data provide a strong rationale for using rituximab to treat patients with membranous nephropathy," wrote Dr. Piero Ruggenenti, of the Negri Bergamo Laboratories in... (Health-Finder)
China's first transgenic cow born to help fight cancer Aug 12, 2008
The human monoclonal (produced from a single cell) antibodies could be purified from the milk of the transgenic cow, and used to treat B cell lymphomas and leukemias and some auto-immune diseases, said research team leader Li Ning, an academician with China Academy of Engineering ... CD20 cell-surface proteins found in mature B cells become cancerous in patients who suffer from non-Hodgkins lymphoma, which accounts for about 40 percent of all new cases of lymphoma. (Xinhuanet, China)
Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for B-Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Aug 7, 2008
1 Approximately 85% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in adults are of B cell origin. 2 Some B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are indolent, or slow-growing, yet incurable. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Targeted drug therapy found effective in patients with common form of immune-mediated kidney disease Aug 6, 2008
The drug was initially developed as a cancer treatment for patients with B cell lymphoma, but kidney researchers have shown that this drug also is safe and reduces the amount of protein lost in the urine due to membranous nephropathy ... According to Dr. Ruggenenti, "This represents the first demonstration that kidney injury in membranous nephropathy can regress after selective depletion of B cells. Thus, the present data provide a strong rationale for using rituximab to treat patients with... (EurekAlert!)
How Molecules Out Of Balance Lead To Human Multiple Myeloma And Other Cancers Aug 1, 2008
ScienceDaily (July 31, 2008) An international team of scientists has identified processes that are heavily implicated in human multiple myeloma and other B cell cancers, moving us closer to developing quick tests and readouts that could help in the tailored treatment of patients ... B cells, the white blood cells that produce antibodies, form a key part of our 'immune response ... To remain healthy, we need to maintain the right number of B cells, not too many and not too few. (Science Daily)
Stanford Researchers Develop Vaccine For Lymphoma From Tobacco Plant Jul 22, 2008
Follicular B cell lymphoma, also known as Hodgkins lymphoma, is a specific type of chronic cancer which is diagnosed in over 15,000 people each year and there is no cure for it. Chemotherapy is currently the only treatment for it and the side effects of the chemotherapy make it unpopular with patients. (TopNews)
HIV conquers immune system faster than previously realized Jul 19, 2008
Researchers also examined the effects of cell death products upon B cells, another arm of the immune system responsible for the creation of antibodies ... "This is important because many scientists believe that a fast-acting memory B cell response as well as a T cell response will be necessary to fight HIV-1" said Nancy Gasper-Smith, PhD, the lead author of the study. (EurekAlert!)
Exhausted B Cells Hamper Immune Response To HIV Jul 15, 2008
Now, researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, have shown that a similar type of exhaustion strikes another important brigade of immune system soldiers: the B cells that make virus-fighting proteins called antibodies. In most HIV-infected individuals not receiving antiretroviral therapy, the virus replicates continuously, causing systemic disturbances that include changes in certain subsets of B cells that... (Science Daily)
Novel Ways To Boost Vaccination Or Natural Defenses Jul 13, 2008
In simple terms, our bodies produce B cells, which make antibodies, and T cells, which help them ... This important class of T cells operates in specific environments termed 'germinal centres', specialised areas within lymph organs where B cells proliferate to form high affinity antibodies whenever we fight infection ... TFH cells play a critical role in that they communicate with, and help activate, B cells. (Science Daily)
Computers Used To Hone Cancer-fighting Strategies Jul 8, 2008
20, 2007) Human white blood cells, engineered to recognize other malignant immune cells, could provide a novel therapy for patients with highly lethal B cell cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (Feb. (Science Daily)
Silencing Of Molecular 'Conversation' May Help Curb Severe Allergies Jul 1, 2008
T cells use cytokines to communicate with B cells, which then make antibodies. When IL-4 and IL-21 are involved in the same 'conversation' with a B cell, laboratory experiments show they stimulate the production of large amounts of the antibody class known as immunoglobulin E, or IgE. ... Dr Tangye, a B cell biologist, is interested in understanding how the body regulates the production of antibodies, in this case the IgE class. (Science Daily)
Crucial Factors In Lymphoma Development And Survival Discovered Jun 26, 2008
The B-cell receptor on the surface of B cells can cooperate with the MYC oncogene to accelerate the development of lymphomas ... Non-Hodgkins lymphoma is a cancer of lymphocytes, immune system cells known as T cells and B cells ... One unanswered question, however, is whether the B-cell receptor on the surface of B cells, may also play an important role. (Science Daily)
New Cellular Mechanism That Will Significantly Advance Vaccine Development Discovered Jun 19, 2008
" Alessandro Sette, Ph.D., a renowned vaccine expert and director of the LIAI Center for Infectious Disease, also was a key contributor on the study. Dr. Crotty said the team studied the smallpox vaccine, considered the "gold standard" of vaccines, and found some startling answers. "We expected one thing based on textbook knowledge and that didn't happen at all," he said. It was known previously that getting a good antibody response requires two different cells of the immune system -- B cells... (Science Daily)
Key Regulator Of DNA Mutations Identified Jun 13, 2008
Now, Rockefeller University scientists F. Nina Papavasiliou and Michel C. Nussenzweig have independently identified a tiny molecule that directly binds to and curbs the production of this potent gene mutator, an enzyme called AID. By tightly controlling levels of AID, this molecule, known as microRNA-155, stands between two opposing bastions of health: an immune system that can ward off an ever-growing legion of infectious microbes and one that can send the body down the road to some of the most... (Science Daily)
New Hope For Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers: B Cells As Promising New Therapeutic Targets Jun 10, 2008
9, 2008) B cells, precursors of autoantibody-secreting cells, have emerged as promising new therapeutic targets in autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In particular, B cell depletion with the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab seems to work for RA patients resistant to standard disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF ) blockers ... With the goal of identifying reliable predictors of response or relapse to rituximab, a trio of researchers in... (Science Daily)
FM man's headaches turn out to be tumors Jun 6, 2008
That is what Matt Mausling recently went through as he was diagnosed with Larbe B Cell Lymphoma. He now has to travel to Iowa City for treatments. (Fort Madison Daily Democrat, IO)
Regulatory B cells exist -- and pack a punch May 28, 2008
DURHAM, N.C. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have uncovered definitive evidence that a small but potent subset of immune system B cells is able to regulate inflammation. Using a new set of scientific tools to identify and count these cells, the team showed that these B cells can block contact hypersensitivity, the type of skin reactions that many people have when they brush against poison ivy ... While the study of regulatory T cells is a hot area with obvious clinical... (EurekAlert!)
Sugar Linkage Could Lead To Better Treatment For Autoimmune Diseases May 16, 2008
Depletion of the B cell subset of lymphocytes. (May 4, 2004) Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory have identified a novel therapeutic target for treating autoimmune. (Science Daily)
New Theory Suggests How Hepatitis C May Cause Rare Immune Disease May 14, 2008
In persons infected with hepatitis C virus, the immune system initially ramps up the production of infection-fighting B cells, which make molecules called antibodies. As these B cells multiply, they make antibodies and release them into the blood where, under normal circumstances, they latch onto the invading pathogens and mark them for destruction ... In mixed cryoglobulinemia, there is a problem: the B cells don t stop multiplying, sending the body into a tailspin of pathological conditions... (Science Daily)
Science expands Science Signaling, featuring research related to medical advances, and more Apr 17, 2008
Differentiation, survival, and growth of B cells, a particular type of immune cell, requires proper functioning of the nuclear factor B (NF- B) signaling pathway, which includes a protein called CARD11 that serves as a docking site for signaling molecules ... G. Lenz, R. E. Davis, V. N. Ngo, L. Lam, T. C. George, G. W. Wright, S. S. Dave, H. Zhao, W. Xu, A. Rosenwald, G. Ott, H. K. Muller-Hermelink, R. D. Gascoyne, J. M. Connors, L. M. Rimsza, E. Campo, E. S. Jaffe, J. Delabie, E. B. Smeland, R.... (EurekAlert! -- Business News)
Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk: Why Disease Affects Some, And Not Others; New Hypothesis From Twins Study Apr 6, 2008
4, 2008) A long-term study of twins has led University of Southern California (USC) researchers to find potential links between Hodgkin lymphoma and levels of an immune response protein (interleukin-12). "We found that lower levels of the protein interleukin-12, involved in fighting intracellular infections, increases susceptibility to young adult Hodgkin lymphoma," says Wendy Cozen, D.O., M.P.H, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. " Cozen is lead... (Science Daily)
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) Announces Enrollment Complete in Phase III EXTEND (PIX301) Clinical Trial of Pixantrone in Patients With Second or Greater Relapse of Diffuse Large B Cell NHL Mar 25, 2008
Potential NDA Submission in 2009 SEATTLE, March 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) (Nasdaq: ; MTA) announced today that enrollment is complete in the phase III EXTEND (PIX301) clinical trial of pixantrone (BBR2278) for patients with relapsed diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) ... "PIX301 examines the effectiveness of pixantrone in patients with relapsed and refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma, a population where current therapies seldom induce complete... (PR Newswire)
Severe Lupus May Respond to Drug Combo Mar 21, 2008
The two drugs are rituximab, known as Rituxan or MabThera, which targets the B cells of the immune system, and cyclophosphamide, a strong immune suppressant drug ... Dr. Ronald F. van Vollenhoven and colleagues at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm note in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases that B cell depleting therapy with rituxan has "shown encouraging results in patients with SLE.". (MEDLINEplus)
Bright Lights: Mystery Of Glowing Antibody Solved Mar 4, 2008
(May 15, 2007) A new article in Genes & Development reveals how a protein called Yin Yang 1 regulates early B cell. (Jul. (Science Daily)
UT Knoxville research may lead to better flu vaccine Feb 28, 2008
Census of memory B cells reveals possible immune role of lungs ... By analyzing the formation of the cells, known as memory B cells, Sangster and his colleagues may better understand how to stimulate their production by vaccination ... At the heart of the research, said Sangster, was learning where memory B cells reside after an infection of the flu, and how many are in each location. (EurekAlert!)
Genetic Mutation May Lead To Increased Autoimmunity Feb 25, 2008
The new study highlights the role of "recombining sequence," a DNA element involved in the genetic reprogramming of immune system B cells, a process called receptor editing ... Nemazee, who published the first study that identified receptor editing as integral to the body's production of the immune system's B cells in 1993, described the editing process as 'schooling' for lymphocytes ... "B cells get educated early in life," Nemazee said. (Science Daily)
Notch controls bone formation and strength Feb 25, 2008
Public release date: 24-Feb-2008. Contact: Glenna Picton. (EurekAlert!)
Yale study offers insight into possible cause of lymphoma Feb 15, 2008
The lymph system is made up of infection-fighting B cells. Schatz and his colleagues examined the somatic hypermutation (SHM) process, which introduces random mutations in B cells' antibody genes to make them more effective in fighting infection ... Interestingly, these same repair enzymes recognize mutations in many other types of genes in the B cells, but they fix the genes in a precise, or, "high fidelity," manner. (EurekAlert!)
The B Cell — Old Player, New Position on the Team Feb 14, 2008
NEJM -- The B Cell -- Old Player, New Position on the Team ... The B Cell Old Player, New Position on the Team. (New England Journal of Medicine)
HIV persists in the gut despite long-term HIV therapy Feb 14, 2008
These two factors also strongly affect B cells, the cells of the immune system that make antibodies and help protect against infection. Dr. Moir and her colleagues demonstrated that prior to treatment with antiretroviral therapy, B-cell numbers in the blood of HIV-infected individuals who have been infected for several years are low, and the B cells also include several dysfunctional subsets ... However, those B-cells that provide long-term protection against infection--so-called memory B... (EurekAlert!)
Newer Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Lower Production of B Cells Jan 26, 2008
They found that drugs known as anti-TNF compounds -- including Enbrel, Humira and Remicade -- help reduce the activity of abnormal B cells that play a role in autoimmune diseases such as RA and lupus ... Among patients who took etanercept, there was a 40 percent drop in the percentage of B cells in lymph tissue ... These centers produce B cells, which the body uses to mark invaders for destruction. (Forbes)
Phase II Study of Zevalin(R) Consolidation Following Fludarabine and Mitoxantrone Chemotherapy Results in 100 Percent Complete Remission Rate and 89 Percent Three-Year Progression Free Survival in Patients with Previously Untreated Non-Follicular Indolent Jan 22, 2008
The study, conducted at the Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology at University of Bologna, Italy, investigated the use of a single dose of Zevalin(R) (Ibritumomab Tiuxetan) as consolidation therapy following treatment with a regimen of fludarabine and mitoxantrone (FM chemotherapy) among 26 patients with newly diagnosed non-follicular indolent NHL. Non-follicular lymphomas are also referred to as intermediate grade compared to the low grade follicular or high grade diffuse B cell... (PR Newswire)
A new view of drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis Jan 21, 2008
A team of physicians and scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center reports that drugs known as anti-TNF compounds which include drugs such as Enbrel, Humira and Remicade affect our B cells, which play a role in many autoimmune diseases. In a study published in the cutting-edge section of the Jan. 15 issue of the Journal of Immunology, the team found that anti-TNF compounds help eliminate abnormal B cell activity in patients, raising the possibility that the drugs improve the... (EurekAlert!)
Type 1 Diabetes Triggered By 'Lazy' Regulatory T-cells Jan 18, 2008
Depletion of the B cell subset of lymphocytes. (Jun. (Science Daily)
Zevalin(R) Combined With High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation (ASCT) Produces High Overall Survival and Progression-Free Survival Rates in Patients With Relapsed Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Jan 17, 2008
Lymphoma histologies included diffuse B cell (n=20), mantle cell (n=13), follicular (n=4) and transformed (n=4). Median tumor bulk prior to treatment was 3. (PR Newswire)
Immunomedics Awarded U.S. Patent for Internalizing Anti-CD74 Antibodies and Methods of Use Jan 8, 2008
Results from this study were published in the August 14, 2007, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, entitled ``IL-8 secreted in a macrophage migration-inhibitory factor- and CD74-dependent manner regulates B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia survival,'' by I. Binsky, M. Haran, D. Starlets, Y. Gore, F. Lantner, N. Harpaz, L. Leng, D.M. Goldenberg, L. Shvidel, A. Berrebi, R. Bucala and I. Shachar. About Milatuzumab. (Primezone Releases)
New Strategies Work To Put Cancer On The Firing Line Jan 5, 2008
These vaccines stimulate B cells to produce antibodies to neutralize targeted bugs ... Scientists next took advantage of the B cell s ability to produce antibodies by identifying the most prominent antigen expressed, cloning it and giving it to patients to impart immunity from future infections. (Science Daily)
Serum diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and further identification of response to therapy using SELDI-TOF-MS and tree analysis patterning Dec 30, 2007
Currently, there are no satisfactory biomarkers available to screen for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) or to identify patients who do not benefit from standard anti-cancer therapies. In this study, we used serum proteomic mass spectra to identify potential serum biomarkers and biomarker patterns for detecting DLBCL and patient responses to therapy. (BioMed Central)
Virus Discovered Using Same Tools As Host Cell Dec 20, 2007
The researchers demonstrated that the viral microRNA and miR-155 normally found in cells regulate the same genes, including several associated with B cell function and cell cycle regulation. KSHV infection may promote B cell tumors by repressing one or more of these genes, Cullen explained. (Science Daily)
Molecular 'Trip Switch' Shuts Down Inflammatory Response: Important Implications For Lupus Dec 14, 2007
When they encounter foreign invaders, they unleash a "cytokine storm" -- a wave of chemical messengers that jumpstart the T and B cell response. When the invaders have been successfully battled, the APCs go off duty and lymphocyte numbers and activity taper off. (Science Daily)
Pixantrone Versus Doxorubicin in CHOP-R Therapy for First-line Treatment of Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Preliminary Results Presented at American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting Dec 11, 2007
"While preliminary, these randomized trial results are encouraging in supporting the preclinical findings that pixantrone is associated with a lower incidence of severe cardiac damage as evidenced by substantial declines in ejection fraction than standard anthracylines such as doxorubicin when administered as part of combination chemotherapy in the front line treatment of aggressive NHL," said Jack W. Singer, Chief Medical Officer of CTI. "Although preliminary, these data suggest that there may... (PR Newswire)
Pharmion and Methylgene Report Favorable Results for Phase 2 MGCD0103 Single- Agent Studies in Relapsed or Refractory Lymphomas at the 49th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Meeting Dec 10, 2007
- MGCD0103 Continues to Demonstrate Single-Agent Activity - 38% Response Rate, 43% Disease Control Rate and 86% Tumor Reduction Rate in Heavily-Pretreated Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma in 110mg Cohort - 67% Tumor Reduction Rate in Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Including an 18% Response Rate in Evaluable Diffuse Large B- cell Patients ATLANTA, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pharmion Corporation (Nasdaq: PHRM) and MethylGene Inc. (TSX: MYG) today announced... (PR Newswire)
Twelve DOXIL(R) Clinical Studies to be Presented at American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting Dec 8, 2007
ATLANTA, Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Ortho Biotech today announced that 12 clinical studies of DOXIL(R) (doxorubicin HCl pegylated liposome injection) will be presented at the 49th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) at the Georgia World Congress Center on December 8-11, 2007. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION BOXED WARNINGS Cardiotoxicity, infusion reaction, myelosuppression, liver impairment, Substitution -- The use of DOXIL may lead to cardiac toxicity. (PR Newswire)
Treating Type 1 Diabetes By Eliminating B Cells Dec 5, 2007
Depletion of the B cell subset of lymphocytes using an antibody specific for the protein CD20 has been shown to be effective for the treatment of RA. The effectiveness of such an approach for the treatment of type I diabetes is not known, largely because the reagents to address this question in preclinical models have been lacking. This problem has now been overcome by Li Wen and colleagues from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, who have developed the necessary tools and shown that depletion... (Science Daily)
Existing Drugs Show Promise For Treating End-stage Renal Disease In Lupus Nov 29, 2007
Mishra's theory was that valproic acid helps reduce activation of B cells, which are white blood cells involved in the body's immune response, including in the production of antibodies in lupus patients. Various research teams are studying how to deplete B cells or decrease their activation ... "This is a different approach using a common drug to prevent B cell activation in lupus," he said. (Science Daily)
Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) Plans to Submit Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for ZEVALIN(R) Consolidation of First Remission in Advanced Stage Follicular Lymphoma in 2008 Nov 27, 2007
Monday, 5:00 #664-III CHOP-R (Cyclophosphamide, Dec. 10, PM (3445) Doxorubicin, Vincristine, Prednisone, 2007 Rituximab) Compared to CPOP-R (Cyclophosphamide, Pixantrone, Vincristine, Prednisone, Rituxamib) in First-Line Therapy of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL): An Interim Analysis. For more information about the ASH annual meeting and for a complete list of abstracts, please refer to the conference Web site at. (PR Newswire)
Sars patients can provide therapy Sep 22, 2007
A team from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Bellinzona, Switzerland, focused on a type of immune cell called a B cell. These cells make the proteins, or antibodies, that target the Sars virus for attack by the immune system. (Yahoo News -- SARS)
Re-engineered Human T Cells Effectively Target And Kill Cancerous B Cells Sep 21, 2007
Human white blood cells, engineered to recognize other malignant immune cells, could provide a novel therapy for patients with highly lethal B cell cancers such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), according to researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). By administering repeated doses of T cells designed to express an artificial receptor which recognizes human B cells, the researchers were able to eradicate cancer in 44 percent of mice bearing human ALL tumors ... Their... (Science Daily)
2007 Lasker Awards announced Sep 18, 2007
In the early 1960s and 70s, immunologists investigating T and B cell function isolated a spleen-derived suspension of "accessory cells" that appeared to be necessary to activate immune cells in vitro. Although some speculated that these cells were macrophages, no one knew which component of the pool was responsible for initiating the reaction. (The Scientist)
Uncovering The Molecules Behind B Cell Lymphomagenesis Aug 26, 2007
Overexpression of PAX5 in mouse B cell lymphoma cell lines increased tumor growth when these cells were transplanted into mice ... Further analysis revealed that PAX5 promoted B cell lymphomagenesis by increasing the level of expression of molecules involved in B cell receptor signaling and decreasing the level of expression of molecules that inhibit B cell receptor signaling ... Inhibitors of the BCR signaling pathway blocked tumor growth further highlighting the importance of BCR signaling in... (Science Daily)
Test your science IQ Aug 7, 2007
Palm Beach Post - News and Classifieds for Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast. Brain gone flabby after weeks of summer vacation. (The Palm Beach Post)
Gardasil rival set for EU approval Jul 20, 2007
In clinical trials, adjuvanted with AS04 compared to the same antigens adjuvanted with aluminium hydroxide alone showed antibody titres at least two fold higher (analysed up to four years after first dose), 'significantly higher' antibody titres (analysed up to four years after first dose), and B cell memory frequency approximately two fold higher (analysed up to two years after first dose). Earlier this year GSK announced interim results from the Phase III study which revealed that Cervarix... (In-PharmaTechnologist.com)
Critical protein prevents DNA damage from persisting through generations Jun 29, 2007
It was during one of these studies, which examined genetic damage late in the life of a B cell, that they came across chromosomal breaks that could not be explained ... The ATM protein appears to have two roles in a B cell: It helps repair the DNA double-strand breaks, and it activates the cell-cycle checkpoint that prevents genetically damaged cells from dividing ... "ATM is required for a B cell to know that it has a broken chromosome. And if it doesn't know that it seems to be able to keep on... (EurekAlert!)
The Cancer Test Jun 19, 2007
14, 2007 By Illustration depicting the metamorphosis of a normal human leukocyte, in this case a "B" cell, into a malignant tumor cell. Mediscan / Corbis Article Tools. (Time.com)
Fetus may enlist its own immune system Jun 5, 2007
Two types of immune cells were studied, the B cell that makes the antibody and the T cell that responds to the influenza vaccine. Both were found in the cord blood, Miller said. (Newsday -- Health)
New Method To Track Immune System Enzyme In Live Animals Developed May 19, 2007
Scientists supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) at the National Institutes of Health have created two mouse strains that will permit researchers to trace, in a live animal, the activity of an enzyme believed to play a crucial role both in the normal immune response as well as autoimmunity and B cell tumor development ... The enzyme, known as activation-induced cytidine deaminase or AID (which has no relation to the AIDS virus), is... (Science Daily)
The Yin And The Yang Of B-cell Development May 16, 2007
A new paper in the May 15th issue of Genes & Development reveals how a protein called Yin Yang 1 regulates early B cell development. B cells are the antibody-producing cells of the body, which form the basis for the body's recognition of foreign pathogens ... B cells undergo a multi-staged maturation process, whereby variable segments of their genome are recombined in various different ways to produce the diversity of antigen recognition that underlies the immune system. (Science Daily)
Newton's Laws: technology- ball and chain? May 3, 2007
Newton's Laws: technology- ball and chain. The Middlebury Campus. (Middlebury College -- The Campus, VT)
Towards Rational Vaccine Design Apr 25, 2007
A recent study published in Immunology Letters, the official journal of the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS), describes strategies for selective priming of B cells using various adjuvants. Randolph Noelle and colleagues from Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, USA show that certain adjuvants can induce antigen specific memory B cells, in the absence of induction of plasma cells ... This is an important fundamental immunological observation as it suggests that memory B cells... (Science Daily)
Novosom AG Acquires Exclusive Option for CD40-Targeted Antisense Inhibitors From Isis Pharmaceuticals Apr 11, 2007
In addition, CD40 provides critical signals for B cell proliferation meaning that Novosom researchers foresee an applicability in B cell cancers. For further information: Media relations: Douglas Pretsell, Ph. (Canada Newswire)
InNexus Biotechnology Announces Appointment of J. Donald Capra, MD, Chairman of Scientific Advisory Board Apr 10, 2007
More recently he has made contributions to our understanding of human B cell development. Along the way he has been a major contributor to our understanding of the various mechanisms of antibody diversity. (BusinessWire)
Connection Between Allergic Diseases And Autoimmune Diseases Apr 7, 2007
Our study implies that allergic and inflammatory diseases may actually trigger autoimmune diseases by relaxing the controls that normally eliminate newly produced, self-reactive B cells. This is important because many autoimmune diseases are caused by self-reactive antibodies produced by such B cells said Dr. David Rawlings lead researcher and section head of Immunology at Children s Hospital and the UW. ... Researchers at Children s are now trying to discover specifically where the relaxation... (Science Daily)
Major Gene Study Uncovers Secrets Of Leukemia Mar 9, 2007
These genes encode proteins called transcription factors, which orchestrate the expression of a large number of other genes involved in B cell development ... "The new insights into the differentiation of B cells are extremely valuable," said Ching-Hon Pui, M.D., chair of the Oncology department and American Cancer Society Professor at St. Jude. (Science Daily)
Novel Test Identifies Leukemia Patients Likely To Respond To New Therapy Feb 28, 2007
Each year more than 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with B cell lymphomas tumors of cells of the immune system that include Hodgkin s and non-Hodgkin s lymphomas. B cells are the immune-system cells that make antibodies ... Genetic aberrations can cause B cells to multiply uncontrollably, causing B cell lymphomas. (Science Daily)
