All articles tagged with #cd8 t cells
Researchers at UVA Health found that Toxoplasma gondii can infect CD8+ T cells in the brain. Caspase-8 triggers the infected cells to die, cutting off the parasite's life cycle. Mice lacking caspase-8 show higher brain parasite loads and worse outcomes, while normal mice clear the infection. The finding highlights a brain-specific immune defense and a potential target for treatment in at-risk individuals.
Dietary cysteine enhances intestinal stem cell function by promoting CD8+ T cell-derived IL-22, which supports intestinal regeneration and homeostasis.
A study has found that trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), a dietary nutrient found in certain foods, enhances the function of CD8+ T cells and promotes anti-tumour immunity. TVA activates the GPR43 receptor and increases cAMP levels, leading to the activation of the CREB pathway. This results in enhanced production of cytokines, increased proliferation, and reduced exhaustion of CD8+ T cells. The findings suggest that TVA could be used as a dietary supplement to boost immune responses against cancer.
A study by researchers from the University of Chicago has found that trans-vaccenic acid (TVA), a fatty acid found in meat and dairy products from grazing animals, improves the ability of CD8+ T cells to infiltrate tumors and kill cancer cells. Patients with higher levels of TVA in their blood responded better to immunotherapy, suggesting its potential as a nutritional supplement to complement cancer treatments. The study highlights the importance of focusing on specific nutrients and metabolites derived from food to understand their impact on health and immunity.
Scientists at the University of Oxford have discovered that a subset of HLA class I molecules, known as HLA-E, may hold the key to a covert immune response against SARS-CoV-2. HLA-E-restricted CD8+ T cells, which are capable of suppressing viral replication, were found to persist at a robust level in COVID-19 patients. This finding suggests that increasing the activity of HLA-E-restricted molecules could be exploited through a targeted vaccine, particularly for immunocompromised individuals. The study provides new insights into the HLA complex and its unique response during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
A mouse model was developed to study the role of PD-1 in maintaining peripheral tolerance towards skin-specific antigens. PD-1 prevented tissue-infiltrating antigen-specific effector CD8 T cells from acquiring a pathogenic differentiation state, secreting effector molecules, and gaining access to epidermal antigen-expressing cells. In the absence of PD-1, epidermal antigen-expressing cells were eliminated by antigen-specific CD8 T cells, resulting in local pathology. The study supports a model of peripheral T cell tolerance in which PD-1 allows antigen-specific effector CD8 T cells to co-exist with antigen-expressing cells in tissues without immunopathology.
A small cohort study conducted by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the NIH in Bethesda, Maryland, found that people with long COVID neurologic symptoms had broad immune dysregulation in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), with lower levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and increased B cells and other types of immune cells. Autonomic testing also showed dysfunction. The findings suggest that immune dysregulation may play a role in mediating long COVID and call for further investigations to confirm these changes and evaluate the role of immunomodulatory agents in clinical trials.
Stanford University researchers have found that people who contracted COVID-19 before getting vaccinated appear to have damaged a key part of their immune-cell response, with a "major reduction" in the body's quantity and quality of CD8+ T cells. The study analyzed blood samples from three groups of volunteers and found that people who had survived a COVID-19 infection before vaccination produced spike-specific CD8+ T cells at considerably lower levels compared to vaccinated people who had never been infected. Researchers emphasized the need to develop vaccination strategies to specifically boost antiviral CD8+ T-cell responses in people previously infected with COVID-19.