Category: Immunology

Multiple Sclerosis and the Epstein Barr Virus – Autoimmunity Through Molecular Mimicry of EBNA1 with GlialCAM

July 24, 2023 Duncan Salmon
Duncan Salmon Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease characterized by demyelination and oligodendrocyte damage within the Central Nervous System (CNS)1. Patients typically present with unilateral optic neuritis, internal ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and the production of intrathecal IgG known as oligoclonal bands2. These symptoms manifest as T2-FLAIR white matter hyperintensities…
Engineering Medicine Immunology Microbiology Neuroscience

Advancements in GD2-CAR T Cell Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Gliomas: Current Progress and Future Perspectives

June 22, 2023 Robert Mbilinyi
Robert Mbilinyi, MS. and Vytas Bankaitis, Ph.D. Introduction: Gliomas, a diverse group of tumors originating from glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS), are the most common type of CNS tumors1,2. They include astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and glioblastomas, with glioblastomas being the most dangerous, accounting for over 70-75% of CNS…
Cancer Featured Abstracts Immunology

Investigating the Roles of the Innate and Adaptive Immune Systems in Alzheimer’s Pathogenesis

June 22, 2023 Oliver Zhou
Oliver Zhou Background:  Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by buildup of amyloid-β plaques, neurofibrillary tau tangles, and neuroinflammation that leads to progressive memory loss and cognitive decline.1 It is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and contributes to an estimated 60-80% of dementia cases worldwide.1 It is…
Featured Abstracts Immunology Neuroscience

The Contributions of B cells and Epstein Barr Virus to Multiple Sclerosis Offer New Understanding and Treatment Options

June 21, 2023 Minh Le
Minh Le Background:  Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological autoimmune diseases and has been increasing in prevalence.1,2 There are several types of MS, relapsing remittent (RRMS), secondary progressive (SPMS), and primary progressive MS (PPMS) with differing prognosis and treatment options, but they have several demyelinating lesions.…
Immunology

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improve Recovery from Facial Nerve Palsy by Promoting M2 Macrophage Polarization via Akt/FoxO1 Pathway

June 21, 2023 Aaron Mackie
Aaron Mackie Background: Facial nerve palsy is the partial or complete inability to move the affected side of the muscles of facial expression through damage to the facial nerve.1 There are various causes of facial nerve palsy including idiopathic facial paralysis, infection, neoplasm, developmental, metabolic, toxic, trauma, and iatrogenic.2 Facial…
Featured Abstracts Immunology

The Role of Immune Checkpoint Blockade Combinational Therapy in Remodeling the Immunosuppressive Microenvironment in the Treatment of Glioblastoma

June 21, 2023 Matthew Kenny
Matthew Kenny Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary tumor of the central nervous system in adults.1-4 The prognosis is poor, with the median survival averaging 14 months after diagnosis and the overall survival of patients beyond five years being less than 5%.3 Current treatment of GBM is combinational therapy…
Cancer Featured Abstracts Immunology

Inflammatory Response and Regulation of T-lymphocytes Involved in Cardiac Remodeling Impacting the Severity of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

June 21, 2023 Katelyn Rook
Katelyn Rook Background: Ischemic heart diseases cause an estimated 17.9 million deaths annually, with most of these cases involving myocardial infarction (MI) of left ventricular (LV) cardiac tissue1. Following an acute MI, the immune system coordinates an inflammatory response to clear damaged tissue and promote wound healing2. As a result…
Cardiology Immunology Inflammation