Stem Cells Restore Walking In Injured Rats Nov 10, 2009
They also suppressed the immune response, causing an increase in anti-inflammatory molecules. "The transplant created a healing environment in the spinal cord," said Keirstead, who is co-director of the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center and on the faculty of the Reeve-Irvine Research Center -- named for late actor Christopher Reeve, who became a quadriplegic after a cervical spinal cord injury. (Science Daily)
Finding Guten-Free Foods Nov 9, 2009
People with Celiac disease, an abnormal immune response to the gluten grain, must avoid gluten at all costs in order to avoid an allergic reaction. Gluten is a type of protein found in barley, wheat and rye. (Suite101.com)
Inoculating Against Fear of Vaccination Nov 9, 2009
"We've been making a vaccine very similar to this for the last 60 years. We know that this vaccine induces an adequate immune response. We know that it can protect your child. Why would you ever choose not to get it, given everything that you know about the disease and everything you know about the vaccine?". "What about, even if I get my children vaccinated, if you don't get your children vaccinated, are you threatening me?" Smith asked. (CBS News)
Desensitization of ovalbumin-sensitized mice by repeated co-administrations of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and ovalbumin. Nov 9, 2009
The plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been shown to stimulate a non-allergy related immune response with increased levels of IgG1 and IgG2a, but not IgE, after co-administration with the model allergen ovalbumin (OVA) in mice. In mice, decreased IgG1 and increased IgG2a have been associated with the development of mucosal tolerance towards inhaled allergens. (BioMed Central)
New HPV Vaccine Might Stop Vulvar Cancer in Its Tracks Nov 6, 2009
All of the patients showed immune responses to the vaccine ... "In principle, this vaccine gives an enormous stimulation of the immune response against the HPV antigens expressed in infected and transformed cells. As such, it should do the same in patients with other types of HPV-16-induced (pre-)malignancies. However, in cancer patients, other forces may work against the efficacy of this vaccine. These need to be tackled, too, in order to make the vaccine do its job," van der Burg added. (MEDLINEplus)
Synthetic Molecules Boost Immune Response Nov 6, 2009
New Synthetic Molecules Trigger Immune Response To HIV And Prostate Cancer ... New Synthetic Molecules Trigger Immune Response To HIV And Prostate Cancer ... 5, 2009) Researchers at Yale University have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the body's immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer cells. (Science Daily)
New Notre Dame study provides insights into the molecular basis of tumor cell behavior Nov 6, 2009
Microvesicles derived from tumor cells also contain other biologically active molecules such as oncogenic receptors and molecules that allow evasion of the immune response. The researchers have now show that specific tumor cell components are selectively targeted to microvesicles, which then function as specialized units that can communicate with or modulate the surrounding environment. (EurekAlert!)
Spreading swine flu to avoid going broke Nov 4, 2009
THE VACCINE CONTAINS A DANGEROUS ADJUVANT Some vaccines, like the hepatitis B and human papillomavirus vaccines, have substances called adjuvants, which are added to enhance the immune response, so that smaller quantities of vaccine can be given. Some people fear that the H1N1 vaccine contains, in particular, squalene, an adjuvant that, while included in other vaccines in Europe and Canada, has never been used in routine vaccines in the United States. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Poorly Cleaned Public Cruise Ship Restrooms May Predict Norovirus Outbreaks Nov 4, 2009
They show that the sensor -- a protein called MDA-5 -- triggers an immune response that. (June 28, 2007) A breakthrough announced this week by scientists at the University of Southampton's School of Medicine will lead to greater understanding of noroviruses, the most common cause of non-bacterial. (Science Daily)
Initial Results Show Pregnant Women Mount Strong Immune Response To 1 Dose Of 2009 H1N1 Vaccine Nov 4, 2009
3, 2009) Healthy pregnant women mount a robust immune response following just one dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine, according to initial results from an ongoing clinical trial sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health ... "For pregnant women, who are among the most vulnerable to serious health problems from 2009 H1N1 infection, these initial results are very reassuring," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "The... (Science Daily)
The Entwined Destinies Of Humankind And Leprosy Bacteria Nov 3, 2009
3, 2009) For thousands of years an undesirable and persistent companion has been travelling with man wherever he goes. Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy, has only one known natural host -- humankind. (Science Daily)
Data show swine flu vaccine’s potency Nov 3, 2009
Additional data from blood tests on 583 children, however, found that only 25 percent of those ages 6 months to 35 months, and only 55 percent of those ages 3 to 9 years, had a strong enough immune response to protect them 21 days after getting only one shot. But 100 percent of the young children and 94 percent of those ages 3 to 9 experienced a strong enough response eight to 10 days after a booster. (Boston Globe)
Q&A: Where are swine flu shots, and who can get them? Nov 3, 2009
Early results suggest that swine flu vaccine provokes a powerful immune response in healthy pregnant women, while young children need two shots to develop protective antibodies, researchers report Monday. Fortunately, after the second dose, children "got a really nice boost" in their antibody production, to levels known to protect against flu, says Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which sponsored the ongoing studies. (USA Today)
H1N1 Vaccine Working Well for Moms-to-Be Nov 3, 2009
Twenty-one days after receiving a single 15-microgram dose of the vaccine, 92 percent of pregnant women showed a robust immune response, Dr. Fauci reported ... He said among children aged 6 months to 35 months just one in four had a strong immune response after 21 days. (CBS News)
One Dose of Swine Flu Vaccine Works for Pregnant Women Nov 3, 2009
"I am pleased to be able to share some good news. Nearly all the pregnant women who received a single 15-microgram dose had a robust immune response," said Fauci, adding that the one-dose regimen produced a robust immune response in 92 percent of the women ... "There was a sharp increase to the immune response to the vaccine after they received a second dose," he said ... Among children 6 months to 35 months old, 100 percent had a robust immune response eight to 10 days after the second dose of... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
1 dose of H1N1 vaccine protects pregnant moms Nov 3, 2009
In a news conference Monday at the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, said out of about 100 pregnant women who participated in trial studies, over 90 percent showed a robust immune response to a single 15-microgram dose of the H1N1 vaccine. And at this point, there have been no reported side effects, Fauci said. (CNN -- Health)
CDC: H1N1 spreads even as vaccine supply grows Nov 1, 2009
Doctors have found there is an immune response to the vaccine in children as young as 6 months. More clinical trials are being done on children ages 6 months to 10 years and on people with immune deficiency disorders, Kieny said. (CNN -- Health)
Progress Made On Group B Streptococcus Vaccine Nov 1, 2009
The GBS vaccine also was found to be safe and well-tolerated, and elicited a strong immune response. The next step to prevent GBS disease would be to develop vaccines that provide protection against a broader range of GBS types and test them in clinical trials. (Science Daily)
Science Finds Healing in Halloween Horrors Oct 31, 2009
It sounds yucky, but scientists reckon that letting the eggs hatch in the intestine could trigger a favorable immune response in patients. The worms normally live in pigs. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
MedImmune to present 4 abstracts on RSV and influenza at 47TH Annual IDSA Meeting Oct 31, 2009
Whole Genome Transcriptional Analysis of the Early Immune Responses Induced by Live Attenuated and Inactivated Influenza Vaccines in Young Children Zhu W, et al. Poster Session: October 31, 2009; 12:30-2:00 PM; Hall A / Poster #1181. BACKGROUND: This study examined the early genomic immune response to live attenuated and inactivated vaccines in previously unvaccinated children 12 to 35 months of age. (EurekAlert!)
Swine Flu Vaccine Must Be Free And Safe For High Uptake Oct 30, 2009
3, 2009) Results from the first swine-flu vaccine trials taking place in the United Kingdom reveal a strong immune response after just one. (Oct. (Science Daily)
Pumpkin Skin May Scare Away Germs Oct 30, 2009
(June 16, 2006) Our skin not only serves as a physical barrier against infection but skin cells themselves can mount an immune response to kill invading microbes by producing antimicrobial polypeptides. The results. (Science Daily)
Repairing Injured Lungs May Boost Organ Donations Oct 30, 2009
Smoking-related irritation of the lungs triggers a complex immune response that includes an accumulation of different types of immune cells. An analysis of lung tissue from emphysema patients revealed the normally helpful immune cells called dendritic cells travel to the lung and induce T-helper 1 and T-helper 17 cells to destroy lung tissue and proteins responsible for lung elasticity. (MEDLINEplus)
Swine Flu Vaccine Regimen Divides Nations as WHO Panel Weighs In on Dose Oct 29, 2009
Preliminary from a study on Pandemrix showed 98 percent of those aged 18 years to 60 years had an immune response indicative of protection after one shot. Tests on the elderly found 87 percent of those older than 70 had a sufficient immune response after one dose, London-based Glaxo said yesterday. (Bloomberg -- Europe)
Nervous System Drug-by-design: Formulation May Slow Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's Oct 29, 2009
(July 16, 2008) The damage to brain tissue seen in Huntington's disease may be caused by an overactive immune response in the bloodstream and the brain. Working separately, two teams found evidence in both brain. (Science Daily)
Scientists use world's fastest supercomputer to create the largest HIV evolutionary tree Oct 28, 2009
The idea, according to Korber, is to identify common features of the transmitted virus, and attempt to create a vaccine that enables recognition the original transmitted virus before the body's immune response causes the virus to react and mutate. "DNA Sequencing technology, however, is currently being revolutionized, and we are at the cusp of being able to obtain more than 100,000 viral sequences from a single person," said Korber. (EurekAlert!)
Essure for Female Sterilization Oct 28, 2009
This 'foreign object' in the fallopian tubes causes an immune response which builds up scar tissue around the coils and gradually occludes or blocks the tubes naturally. The entire procedure typically takes less than 30 minutes and is usually done in the doctor's office, an outpatient surgery center or a hospital. (Suite101.com)
Debate over swine flu shots in Germany Oct 27, 2009
Adjuvants or chemical compounds that boostthe human body's immune response and stretch the vaccine's active ingredient so more doses can be made are relatively new in flu vaccines, and there is limited data on how safe they are in certain population groups, such as pregnant women and children. No flu vaccines with adjuvants are licensed in the U.S., though they are commonly used in Europe. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
USF studies H1N1 flu vaccine Oct 27, 2009
The studies will see whether the H1N1 vaccine can safely elicit a protective immune response in infected pregnant women, as well as in infected children and young adults, a release from USF Health said. USF will be one of 35 sites and eight sub-sites in the United States and Puerto Rico participating in the two studies. (Tampa Bay Business Journal, FL)
Bill Gates' millions to battle TB Oct 27, 2009
----------------- ----------------- RELATED BBC SITES. Last Updated: Thursday, 12 February, 2004, 22:34 GMT. (Yahoo News -- Tuberculosis)
Mayo makes Alzheimer's discovery Oct 27, 2009
The researchers used a technique known as Somatic Brain Transgenesis to increase expression of a cytokine that stimulates an inflammatory immune response in the brains of young mice predisposed to developing age-progressive amyloid plaques. Das said the phenomenon needs to be studied more thoroughly, but the initial findings could have implications not only for Alzheimer s disease, but also Parkinson s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders characterized by protein buildup in the brain. (Jacksonville Business Journal, FL)
T-Cell Vaccine Reduces Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Levels In Semen Of Monkeys During Primary Infection Oct 27, 2009
26, 2009) A new study reports that a vaccine-induced cellular immune response reduced simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) levels in the semen of rhesus monkeys during the period of primary infection, a discovery that may ultimately aid in the fight against HIV-1 transmission in humans. See also. (Science Daily)
Study shows how carbon nanotubes can affect lining of the lungs Oct 26, 2009
The study showed the immune response and fibrosis disappeared within three months of exposure. However, this study used only a single exposure to the nanotubes. (EurekAlert!)
Parents infuriated over wait for swine flu vaccine Oct 26, 2009
Giving the live virus vaccines too close together can prevent an effective immune response, doctors say. It would be a nonissue if the killed, injectable vaccine were available, because scientists believe it can be given at the same time as the FluMist without problems. (The Palm Beach Post)
Manipulating Brain Inflammation May Help Clear Brain Of Amyloid Plaques, Researchers Say Oct 24, 2009
The researchers used a technique known as "Somatic Brain Transgenesis" to increase expression of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a cytokine that stimulates an inflammatory immune response in the brains of young mice predisposed to developing age-progressive amyloid plaques. This powerful technology allows researchers to express any gene of interest in specific parts of the body by tagging the gene onto Adeno-associated viruses, which are inert. (Science Daily)
Tips from the journals of the American Society for Microbiology Oct 24, 2009
A new study reports that a vaccine-induced cellular immune response reduced simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) levels in the semen of rhesus monkeys during the period of primary infection, a discovery that may ultimately aid in the fight against HIV-1 transmission in humans. The researchers from Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachussetts; Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico; and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland detail their... (EurekAlert!)
Selenium deficiency impairs host innate immune response and induces susceptibility to Listeria monocytogenes infection Oct 24, 2009
Se-deficient mouse models of listeriosis were used to study the innate immune response during the course of L. monocytogenes infection ... The analysis of cell types of spleen from Se-deficient mice revealed that the ability of the host to elicit a rapid recruitment and activation of systemic innate immune response to infection was to a certain extent compromised under conditions of Se deficiency ... The cytokine levels in the serum and cytokine expression levels in the livers from Se-deficient... (BioMed Central)
WHO: Nearly 5,000 Global H1N1 Deaths Oct 24, 2009
GlaxoSmithKline's Pandemrix vaccine contains an adjuvant, a chemical compound that stretches a vaccine's active ingredient and increases the human body's immune response. While European flu vaccines commonly use adjuvants, there is limited data on how safe they are in groups including children and pregnant women. (Time.com)
Brief shocks may improve HIV vaccines Oct 23, 2009
Sandhya Vasan of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in New York said the technique, called electroporation, may be particularly useful in delivering DNA vaccines, which use an infectious agent's own genetic material to elicit an immune response ... "With a brief pulse of electricity, our cell membrane temporarily opens up and allows a lot more of the DNA to get inside. The reason why DNA vaccines by themselves don't trigger A powerful immune response is because most of it (DNA) does not get... (MSNBC -- Health)
Widely Used Virus Assay Shown Unreliable When Compared To Other Methods Oct 23, 2009
23, 2009) Scientists have discovered that mosquitoes that transmit deadly viruses such as dengue avoid becoming ill by mounting an immediate, potent immune response. Because their immune system does not. (Science Daily)
South Africa: Elite Group That Can Control Their HIV Offers Vaccine Hope Oct 22, 2009
Finally, the elite controllers have abnormally active dendritic cells, which are the key cells that "conduct" the body's immune response. Meanwhile, a group of Kenyan sex workers who have remained HIV negative despite being exposed to HIV many times is also being studied, along with some who have also been identified as elite controllers. (allAfrica.com)
Green Space: Know poison ivy, so you can avoid it Oct 22, 2009
Poison ivy pills are available for a pretreatment, or to try to build up an immune response to the plant. They are basically sugar pills with small amounts of the oil in them. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
'Holy Grail' Of Cancer Therapy: Researchers Find Way To Protect Healthy Cells From Radiation Damage Oct 22, 2009
It's possible that radiation impairs the immune response to tumors even while killing tumor cells, but suppression of CD47 keeps the immune cells safe. Decreasing CD47 levels on tumor cells also could make them more sensitive to attack by the patient's immune system after treatment. (Science Daily)
> Foundations research model aims to halve clinical trial time Oct 21, 2009
Stanford University professor and neurobiologist Dr. Ben Barres, one of the foundation s principal investigators, said until he heard Johnson ask at a conference why researchers focused on the immune response in MS rather than myelin repair, the concept had never even occurred to him. The point was a fantastic one, especially given that scientists are now starting to understand how myelination happens. (San Jose Business Journal, CA)
HIV vaccine 'not as effective as originally indicated'... Oct 21, 2009
"Most of the skeptics would say that there's a signal there" that indicates an immune response. Identifying what triggered such an immune response is crucial to the future design of any vaccine ... In this case, scientists want to know whether the apparent immune response was linked to antibodies or T-cells, the main target of HIV in the blood. (The Drudge Report)
WFU participating in H1N1 vaccine trial Oct 20, 2009
The study, to be conduced by Wake Forest's Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, is co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and is meant to determine the safety of the vaccine in people with asthma and the dose needed to induce a protective immune response. Studies have indicated that people who have asthma may be particularly at risk for the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. (Triad Business Journal, NC)
Mymetics Corporation Presents Ground Breaking Results With Preventative HIV Vaccine at the World AIDS Vaccine Congress in Paris 19 - 22 October Oct 20, 2009
The poster is titled "High Protection of Female Macaques from Repeated Intra-Vaginal Challenges with Low-dose of SHIV(SF162P3) upon Mucosal Vaccination with Gp41 subunits-Virosomes inducing Gp41-specific Mucosal Immune Responses" ... Mymetics core technology and know-how is based on the use of virosomes as a vaccine delivery platform combined with rationally designed antigens to induce protection acting on early transmission and infection events, including the mucosal immune response as a first... (Primezone Releases)
Acetaminophen May Block Vaccines' Effectivenss Oct 19, 2009
They found that, for several types of vaccines, the protective immune response generated by the vaccine was significantly lower in those children taking the fever-reducer. Their research also suggested that a fever-reducer given before or very soon after vaccination interfered more than if the drug was used later, in response to a child actually having a fever. (KERO 23, CA)
Giving babies Tylenol may blunt vaccines' effects Oct 19, 2009
Curbing fever, especially the first time a baby gets a vaccine, also seems to curb the immune response and the amount of protective antibodies that are made, the new study found. It was led by military and government scientists in the Czech Republic and was done at 10 medical centers in that Eastern European country. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Focus on Seniors: Whole body can benefit from good nutrition Oct 18, 2009
Your body's immune response to plaque in your mouth results in chronic inflammation. That chronic inflammation not only destroys the bone supporting your teeth, it also destroys tissues all over the body. (Florida Today)
Tylenol may dull vaccines' benefits Oct 18, 2009
Curbing fever, especially the first time a baby gets a vaccine, also seems to curb the immune response and the amount of protective antibodies that are made, the new study found. Type Size. (AZCentral -- News)
How Salmonella Bacteria Cause Diarrhea In Their Host Oct 18, 2009
ETH Zurich researchers have succeeded in explaining a molecular mechanism that enables the bacteria to activate their host cell s non-specific immune response, thus making the host ill ... Unexpected immune response ... The perfidiousness of SopE is that the bacteria tamper with, of all things, a communication system which a cell cannot simply replace or switch off, because otherwise the non-specific immune response would fail to happen or the cell s skeleton would be paralysed. (Science Daily)
H1N1: Most Dangerous To Young People Oct 17, 2009
"There were similar viruses circulating in the 1930s and the 1940s and therefore people who were born before 1950 have antibodies, have a protective immune response against such a virus" he tells Pelley. "Therefore the older people are better protected againstH1N1 virus than are young people.". (CBS News)
UT Southwestern wins database contract Oct 17, 2009
This database will contain gene sequence data, information about the immune response to viral infection, and information about the protein structure of viruses, Scheuermann said. This database will bring all that information together in one place. (Dallas Business Journal, TX)
Tylenol After Shots May Dull Vaccine's Effect Oct 17, 2009
Post-Vaccine Tylenol May Harm Immune Response ... After initial vaccination at 3 to 5 months, infants who received acetaminophen -- commonly known by the brand name Tylenol -- had reduced immune responses to vaccines against pneumococcal disease, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough), according to Dr. Roman Prymula of the University of Defence in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, and colleagues ... After booster doses at 12 to 15 months, children... (ABC News)
MedImmune to present data on RSV and influenza at 2009 AAP National Conference and Exhibition Oct 17, 2009
Secondary objectives sought to determine the effect of motavizumab on rates of RSV-related hospitalization and RSV-specific lower respiratory tract infections, as well as describe motavizumab's pharmacokinetics and immune response. "Serious Early Childhood Wheezing Following Respiratory Syncytial Virus Lower Respiratory Tract Infection During Infancy Among Preterm Infants" Romero, JR et al (presenter: Hasan Jafri, MD)[(Friday, October 16, 2009; Room 145 (Washington Convention Center). (EurekAlert!)
Scientists Remove Amyloid Plaques From Brains Of Live Animals With Alzheimer's Disease Oct 17, 2009
"Our study highlights the notion that manipulating the brain's immune response could be translated into clinically tolerated regimens for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases," said Pritam Das, co-author of the study, from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.. Das and colleagues made this unexpected discovery when they initially set out to prove that the activation of microgila trigger inflammation, making the disease worse. (Science Daily)
Lawsuit seeks to halt H1N1 flu vaccination campaign in US Oct 16, 2009
So you have immediately a new problem you don't have with a killed vaccine," Turner told AFP. Officials at the National Institutes of Health have said that trials of H1N1 flu vaccine began in August and delivered results last month, showing that the vaccine was well tolerated and produced a robust immune response in older children and adults in good health with just a single dose. But Turner insisted that "the FDA did not do the proper testing to show safety and efficacy of this vaccine, which... (Channelnewsasia.com)
Giving Kids Tylenol After Shots Makes Vaccines Less Effective, Study Finds Oct 16, 2009
Babies who took paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, right after a shot had less fever but also showed a lower immune response, possibly because the drug reduced the inflammation that may favor interactions between immune cells, according to research published in the medical journal ... The immune response of the painkiller group, measured by the concentration of antibodies in their blood, was significantly lower, the researchers wrote. (Bloomberg -- UK)
Study Explains Immunity to H1N1 in Older People Oct 16, 2009
"It's part of the primary immune response. It just is not the one that is classically measured," Cardona said. Cardona and colleague Zheng Xing analyzed data from prior studies of the H1N1 virus, looking at short stretches of proteins known as epitopes found in regions of the virus that are less likely to change from strain to strain. (MEDLINEplus)
Acetaminophen May Weaken Effectiveness of Kids' Vaccines Oct 16, 2009
Fever after a vaccination is a normal and essential part of building an immune response, and giving children acetaminophen -- best known in the U.S. as Tylenol -- after a shot could dampen that response, a new study finds ... Infectious disease expert Dr. Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine in New York City, said that "the conclusion that Tylenol not only suppresses fever, but also decreases immune response is plausible. After all, what is an... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Health)
Researcher battles brucellosis Oct 16, 2009
"If we could generate a more robust immune response artificially in that animal to key bacterial (proteins), then we can potentially clear infection," he said. Andrews and his team are now using lab rats to study whether any of the three proteins would be viable vaccine candidates. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Earlier flu viruses provided some immunity to current H1N1 influenza, study shows Oct 15, 2009
More than a dozen structural sites, or epitopes, in the virus may explain why many people over the age of 60, who were likely exposed to similar viruses earlier in life, carry antibodies or other type of immunity against the new virus, immune responses that could be attributed to earlier flu exposure and vaccinations ... He noted that immune responses based on production of specific cells, known as cytotoxic T-cells, have been largely neglected in evaluating the efficacy of flu vaccinations ...... (EurekAlert!)
Kids under 10 may need two swine flu vaccine shots Oct 15, 2009
That compares with 98 percent of adults who had a good immune response after just one dose. (Agencies). (Xinhuanet, China)
UM School of Medicine researchers find extreme genetic variability in malaria parasite Oct 15, 2009
Certain regions within a key parasite protein a protein targeted by some experimental malaria vaccines seem to affect the human immune response more than others, and targeting those areas could help develop a better vaccine, according to the study led by Shannon Takala, Ph ... By narrowing their focus to those specific regions of the protein that are recognized as distinct by the immune response, the researchers were able to reduce the number of immunologically important AMA-1 types from 214... (EurekAlert!)
