Drug treats inflammation associated with genetic heart disease that can be deadly in young athletes

When young athletes experiences sudden cardiac death as they run down the playing field, it’s usually due to arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), an inherited heart disease. Now, Johns Hopkins researchers have shed new light on the role of the immune system in the progression of ACM and, in the process, discovered a new drug that might help prevent ACM disease symptoms […]

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Interaction between immune factors triggers cancer-promoting chronic inflammation

A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team has identified interaction between two elements of the immune system as critical for the transformation of a protective immune response into chronic, cancer-promoting inflammation. In their report published in PNAS, the investigators demonstrate that elevated levels of the immune factor IL-33 and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which suppress the action of tumor-fighting immune […]

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Inflammation inhibitor delivered directly to kidneys reverses course of destructive nephritis

Using a manmade version of a human antibody to directly deliver a drug that inhibits a powerful driver of inflammation, can reverse a disease course that often leads to kidney failure and dialysis, investigators report. They have additionally found that it’s the powerhouses of kidney cells, called mitochondria, that are particularly impacted by the acute or chronic inflammation called nephritis, […]

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New cellular pathway helps explain how inflammation leads to artery disease

Investigators have identified a new cellular pathway that may help explain how arterial inflammation develops into atherosclerosis—deposits of cholesterol, fats and other substances that create plaque, clog arteries and promote heart attacks and stroke. The findings could lead to improved therapies for atherosclerosis, a leading cause of death worldwide. “We have known for decades that atherosclerosis is a disease of […]

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Abdominal fat secretes novel adipokine promoting insulin resistance and inflammation

An international research team in which the DZD is participating has identified a novel adipokine that favors the development of insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. In cases of severe obesity, this adipokine is secreted by the adipocytes of the abdominal fat tissue and released into the bloodstream. The new findings could contribute to the development of alternative approaches for the […]

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COPD-associated inflammation halted in model experiment

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is believed to be the third most common cause of death worldwide. However, because the underlying mechanism is still largely unknown, today’s treatments can only slow progression of the disease. Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München have now reported a previously unknown pathogenic mechanism, which they have already been able to prevent in the laboratory. Their […]

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Compound improves stroke outcome by reducing lingering inflammation

An experimental compound appears to improve stroke outcome by reducing the destructive inflammation that can continue months after a stroke, scientists report. Rats consuming compound 21 following a clot-based stroke – the most common type in humans – don’t have a smaller stroke size but do have better memory and movement in its aftermath, says Dr. Adviye Ergul, vascular physiologist […]

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Mouse study links early metastasis to systemic inflammation caused by wound healing

According to new research conducted in mice by Whitehead Institute scientists, surgery in breast cancer patients, which while often curative, may trigger a systemic immunosuppressive response, allowing the outgrowth of dormant cancer cells at distant sites whose ability to generate tumors had previously been kept in check by the immune system. Taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) around the time […]

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Study confirms that inflammation during pregnancy is linked to baby’s brain

Inflammation is a normal part of the body’s response to infection, chronic stress or obesity. In pregnant women, it is believed that heightened inflammation increases the risk of mental illness or brain development problems in children. A study conducted by researchers at OHSU in Portland, Oregon, has established a link between inflammation in pregnant women and the way the newborn […]

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