Latest news with #immuneSystem
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
People with ME have key genetic differences to other people, study finds
People diagnosed with ME/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have significant differences in their DNA compared to those without the condition, according to a 'groundbreaking' new study. Scientists said the findings offer the first robust evidence that genes contribute to a person's chance of developing the disease. The DecodeME study, said to be the largest of its kind in the world, uncovered eight areas of genetic code in people with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) that are markedly different to the DNA of people without the condition. Researchers hope the findings will boost 'validity and credibility' for patients, and help rebuff some of the stigma and lack of belief that exists around the condition. There is currently no diagnostic test or cure for ME/CFS, which is believed to affect around 67 million people worldwide, and very little is known about what causes it. A key feature of the condition is a disproportionate worsening of symptoms following even minor physical or mental activity, which is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM,) while other symptoms include pain, brain fog and extreme energy limitations that do not improve with rest. For the new study, researchers analysed 15,579 DNA samples from the 27,000 people with ME/CFS participating in DecodeME, described as the world's largest data set of people with the disease. The eight regions of DNA where scientists found genetic differences involve genes linked to the immune and nervous systems. At least two of the genetic signals relate to how the body responds to infection, which researchers said aligns with long-standing patient reports that the onset of symptoms often followed an infectious illness. Professor Chris Ponting, DecodeME investigator from the University of Edinburgh, said: 'This is a wake-up call. These extraordinary DNA results speak the language of ME/CFS, often recounting people's ME/CFS symptoms. 'DecodeME's eight genetic signals reveal much about why infection triggers ME/CFS and why pain is a common symptom. 'ME/CFS is a serious illness and we now know that someone's genetics can tip the balance on whether they are diagnosed with it.' As a person's DNA does not change over time, experts say the genetic signals identified would not have developed because of ME/CFS and are therefore likely to reflect the causes of the disease. Populations used in the initial study were limited to those from European ancestries. DecodeME research studying DNA data from all ancestries is ongoing. ME/CFS, thought to affect around 404,000 people in the UK, affects more females than males, although researchers found nothing to explain why this is the case. The DecodeME team is now calling on researchers from around the world to access its 'rich' dataset and help drive forward targeted studies into ME/CFS. Sonya Chowdhury, chief executive of Action for ME and a DecodeME co-investigator, said: 'These results are groundbreaking. 'With DecodeME, we have gone from knowing next to nothing about the causes of ME/CFS, to giving researchers clear targets.' She also hopes the discoveries will help change the way the condition is viewed. Ms Chowdhury said: 'This really adds validity and credibility for people with ME. 'We know that many people have experienced comments like ME is not real, or they've been to doctors and been disbelieved or told that it's not a real illness. 'Whilst things have changed and continue to change, that is still the case for some people and we hear that repeatedly as a charity. 'Being able to take this study into the treatment room and say there are genetic causes that play a part in ME is going to be really significant for individuals. 'It will rebuff that lack of belief and the stigma that exists.' The findings have been reported in a pre-print publication, or unpublished study. During a media briefing about the study, researchers were asked about similarities between the symptoms of long Covid and ME/CFS. Prof Ponting said: 'It's very clear that the symptomology between long Covid and ME is highly similar. 'Not for everyone but there are substantial similarities but as a geneticist the key question for me is are there overlapping genetic factors, and we haven't found that in DECode ME with the methods that we've employed. ' One of the key things that we're doing is enabling others to use their different approaches to ask and answer the same question.' DecodeME is a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh, the charity Action for ME, the Forward ME alliance of charities, and people with ME/CFS. It is funded by the Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Medical News Today
4 days ago
- Health
- Medical News Today
Your FAQs around generalized pustular psoriasis
Generalized pustular psoriasis is a severe form of psoriasis that can cause body-wide symptoms and may require immediate medical pustular psoriasis (GPP), also known as von Zumbusch psoriasis, is a rare type of GPP affects an estimated 1 to 7 people out of every million. It features episodes or 'flares' of erythroderma, widespread skin inflammation and redness or other skin color changes. These flares develop with sterile (not caused by infection), fluid-filled blisters or a flare, pustules break open, and the skin can become dry and painful. It may crack, peel, or scale and may resemble a is an immune-mediated condition caused by dysfunction in the immune system. Unusual immune responses to triggers such as stress, medication use, or infections can set off a chain of severe inflammatory reactions throughout the body. GPP often has identifiable triggers, but it can also happen without any obvious people experience severe systemic symptoms in addition to skin inflammation, including fever, chills, muscle weakness, and fatigue. If left untreated, GPP can cause life threatening complications like organ on to find out the answers to some of your most pressing questions about is the outlook for generalized pustular psoriasis?GPP is a chronic condition. It can be managed, but it may never be fully cured. As many as 80% of people experience relapses, and most have at least one episode outlook during a flare depends largely on how quickly a person receives treatment. Severe inflammation can cause tissue damage and affect internal organs like the heart, lungs, or kidneys. In some cases, this may result in sepsis, a life threatening complication that requires urgent care. Seeking treatment as soon as possible can help shorten the duration of a GPP flare and lower the risk of serious between flares, GPP can affect long-term health. People with GPP have a higher risk of cardiovascular conditions and other systemic complications, which can affect quality of life and life to a 2025 study, people with GPP have about four times the risk of death from any cause compared to the general is the best treatment for generalized pustular psoriasis?Everyone living with GPP has different factors that can affect their treatment plan. A doctor will consider a person's age, family history, genetics, and other health conditions when recommending a flare, first-line treatments usually include medications that target the immune system. These drugs work by blocking or calming overactive inflammatory example is spesolimab (Spevigo), a monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-36 (IL-36) receptors. IL-36 is a pro-inflammatory molecule, known as a cytokine, that becomes overactive in GPP. It triggers systemic inflammation and stimulates the production of neutrophils, which accumulate in the skin and create spesolimab is the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for the treatment of may also use other medications that modify immune responses or control inflammation, such as:infliximaboral retinoidsapremilastmethotrexatecyclosporineFor mild symptoms or when GPP is well managed, doctors may recommend more conservative treatments. These can include keeping the skin hydrated, using topical corticosteroids, and prescribing antibiotics if there is an a medication triggers the flare, stopping that medication is also an important part of the do you stop pustules from spreading?Immediate treatment helps stop GPP pustules from in GPP are sterile. They form because of overactive inflammatory processes in the body. Itching pustules or having pustules break open is not what causes pustules to spread (although this can increase the risk of secondary infection).Interrupting the inflammatory chain with medications like spesolimab during a flare will help bring pustules under control. Applying cool compresses, keeping skin clean and moisturized, and avoiding irritants like rough fabric can help improve the overall health of the skin and manage pustular psoriasis lead to sepsis?Generalized pustular psoriasis can lead to is a severe, life threatening inflammatory reaction to an infection that spreads through the bloodstream. It can cause symptoms such as: feverrapid heartbeatrapid breathinga dangerous drop in blood pressureconfusionorgan damageIn GPP, several factors can increase the risk of sepsis. Open skin from pustules, cracks, or scratching allows bacteria, viruses, or fungi to cross the skin barrier and enter the bloodstream. Medications that suppress the immune system, such as methotrexate or infliximab, can also make it harder for the body to fight these pathogens enter the bloodstream, they can travel throughout the body, triggering a widespread inflammatory response known as sepsis happen during every generalized pustular psoriasis flare?Sepsis can occur during a flare, but it does not happen every time a person with GPP experiences a in GPP are believed to be caused by a 'cytokine storm.' A cytokine storm happens when the immune system becomes overactive and releases too many pro-inflammatory molecules at once. Infection can trigger a cytokine storm, but it is not the only cause. Cytokine storms in GPP can happen any time the immune system is overactivated, even without an however, always results from an infection. It also involves a cytokine storm, but in this case, the overactivation of cytokines is a direct response to that infection. In conditions like GPP, existing cytokine dysfunction can make a sepsis-related cytokine storm more pustular psoriasis is a rare form of psoriasis that causes widespread areas of red, inflamed skin covered with sterile, fluid-filled pustules. GPP can be life threatening. It causes severe, body-wide inflammation that may damage tissues and lead to organ treatment can help slow the spread of pustules and lower the risk of serious complications. Doctors typically treat GPP with medications that interrupt or block overactive immune responses. Spesolimab (Spevigo) is the only drug currently approved by the FDA specifically for the treatment of GPP.
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Benadryl linked to crippling DISEASE: Doctors issue warning to age group at highest risk
Millions of Americans take Benadryl every year to relieve allergies, but doctors have uncovered a shocking link between the medication and a devastating disease. Benadryl's active drug diphenhydramine blocks receptors for histamine, an inflammatory chemical released by the immune system that can trigger symptoms like a runny nose and itchy skin. Your browser does not support iframes.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Adaptive Biotechnologies to Report Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results on August 5, 2025
SEATTLE, July 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (Nasdaq: ADPT), a commercial stage biotechnology company that aims to translate the genetics of the adaptive immune system into clinical products to diagnose and treat disease, today announced it will report financial results for the second quarter 2025 after market close on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. Company management will webcast a corresponding conference call beginning at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time / 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Live audio of the webcast will be available on the 'Investors' section of the company website at: The webcast will be archived and available for replay within 24 hours after the event. About Adaptive Biotechnologies Adaptive Biotechnologies ('we' or 'our') is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on harnessing the inherent biology of the adaptive immune system to transform the diagnosis and treatment of disease. We believe the adaptive immune system is nature's most finely tuned diagnostic and therapeutic for most diseases, but the inability to decode it has prevented the medical community from fully leveraging its capabilities. Our proprietary immune medicine platform reveals and translates the massive genetics of the adaptive immune system with scale, precision and speed. We apply our platform to partner with biopharmaceutical companies, inform drug development, and develop clinical diagnostics across our two business segments: Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) and Immune Medicine. Our commercial products and clinical pipeline enable the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. Our goal is to develop and commercialize immune-driven clinical products tailored to each individual patient. ADAPTIVE INVESTORSKarina Calzadilla, Vice President, Investor Relations and FP&A201-396-1687investors@ ADAPTIVE MEDIAErica Jones, Associate Corporate Communications Director206-279-2423media@
Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Four habits to boost your immune system and increase your lifespan, according to a scientist
We know what our immune system is about. It's what fends off bugs and determines how long it takes us to recover from illnesses. We may have attempted to boost it by popping a multivitamin, eating an orange or even trying an overpriced ginger shot when we feel a cold brewing. But this narrow view barely scratches the surface of its wide-ranging impact not only on our health but also our longevity, says immunologist Dr Jenna Macciochi. 'Our immune system is the single greatest arbiter of both how long we live and the quality of those years,' she writes in her new book Immune to Age: The Game-Changing Science of Lifetime Health. At a time when longevity has become the latest obsession of millionaire tech bros (Bryan Johnson spends up to $2 million a year to extend his life expectancy through hit 40-a-day supplement habit, morning oxygen therapy and regular plasma transfusions from his teenage son), Dr Macciochi's focus is on improving the simple things – mainly our diet and exercise levels – to harness the power of our immune system to keep us in better health for the 80 years we're likely to live for. 'The longevity space has become dominated by male voices, 'hack your way to the perfect protocol', '20 things to do before you leave your house in the morning',' she says. 'I wanted to be the anti-Bryan Johnson.' There's no evidence that living this way will extend your lifespan or make your latter years any healthier, Dr Macciochi notes. And she would know – she's a bona fide scientist. After growing up on a farm in rural Scotland, which kickstarted her fascination with health and disease, she studied immunology at the University of Glasgow before securing her PhD at Imperial College London. She went on to work for biotech companies and research institutes before lecturing at the University of Sussex. She is now a consultant and author based in Brighton, where she lives with her two children. What is our immune system? 'Most people will be able to tell you where their digestive system is, where the brain is, where their lungs are,' Dr Macciochi notes. The immune system, meanwhile, is a harder concept to grasp. It's made up of hundreds of different types of cells and signalling molecules, controlled by around 8,000 genes – making it the second-most complicated system in our body, after our brains. Rather than being in one place, it's located throughout our bodies. Around 70 per cent of the immune system is found in our digestive tract while the rest ranges from the skin's surface to our bone marrow, as well as from brain to big toe. 'It's a testament to how important it is,' she says. How has it been misunderstood? 'I'm trying to get people to stop just thinking about their immune system for colds and flus,' Dr Macciochi says. Protecting us from bugs is one of its key roles, however. It's why immune cells line the entry points to our bodies – the eyes, nose and mouth – which are coated in a defensive mucus that aims to catch viruses and bacteria before they can travel deeper into our bodies. 'We've always looked at the immune system through the lens of infection, which became less relevant in a country like the UK in the last 50 years because we have antibiotics, we have vaccines and we have public health measures that means we're not dying from antibiotics, diphtheria and measles,' Dr Macciochi notes. However, our immune system is also working in other ways to keep us well, Dr Macciochi notes. It monitors and eliminates potential cancer cells, protects against autoimmune disorders and manages our response to allergens. It even plays a role in chronic diseases, as inflammation, which is triggered by the immune system, is thought to be a driving force in heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia, she notes. How is our immune system linked with longevity? The immune system is what has kept the human species alive for hundreds of thousands of years by triggering an inflammatory response when we become infected with a virus or bacteria. 'It makes the body a hostile environment for a germ, so you can kill the germ and get rid of it,' Dr Macciochi explains. However, this inflammatory response is being triggered too often as a result of our modern lifestyles that typically consists of a poor quality diet, frequent exposure to pollutants and mental stress, she says. 'It's sending danger signals to our immune system but the danger isn't a real danger and it's not acute, it's like constant, tiny hits,' Dr Macciochi says. The result is 'inflammageing' which is the low-level, unwanted inflammation that builds up over time. 'It's like rust on a car' and fuels the onset of non-communicable diseases. 'Inflammation will happen anyway – there'll be a gradual increase with age, just like everything wears out with time,' she notes. 'I don't think we can make ourselves invincible to that but we can definitely push back on this slow burn of chronic inflammation.' Research into the hallmarks of ageing has shown that inflammation accelerates them all, Dr Macciochi says. 'The telomeres on the end of our chromosomes, which are protective tips, inflammation accelerates wearing that down. The mitochondria in our cells, which are these little energy battery packs, the inflammation makes them less efficient.' It also contributes to DNA damage, which can drive the growth of cancer, she says. 'In all of these systems, inflammation puts this extra burden on top of them, so they have to work harder and then over time you get the wear and tear effect.' Four habits to boost your immune system and increase your lifespan 'In the UK, we live on average to 80, which is amazing, compared to 150 years ago when you'd be lucky to get to 50,' Dr Macciochi says. 'We've had an amazing longevity revolution already.' However, the average Brit has a health span of 60, meaning there are '20 years where, medically, we can keep you alive and functioning but your quality of life might not be very good', she says. 'You might be on multiple medications and then medications to treat the side effects of those medications.' While our body's system will decline with age, unhealthy lifestyles preclude us from engaging in the activities that keep us young, she says. Setting up good habits that support our immune system now can elongate the number of years we spend free from illness – these are the habits Dr Macciochi recommends. Do more exercise It's not news that exercise is good for us but its ability to improve immune health and life expectancy really are second to none, according to Dr Macciochi. One study found that regular exercisers live up to seven years longer but also have more years in good health. 'There are very few, if any, things medicine can offer that come anywhere close to that magnitude of benefit,' she notes. Surprisingly, the benefits of exercise stems from the fact that it triggers inflammation – but the good kind. 'I liken it to a dirty kitchen table,' Dr Macciochi says. 'If I spill some coffee on it, and then I clean it, I'm going to end up with a table that's cleaner than it was before I spilled the coffee. That's how exercise works as an anti-inflammatory.' 'You exercise and get a rise in inflammation, but in a very controlled way that then gives this super rise in anti-inflammatory kind of clean-up, which doesn't just clean up the muscles that you've been working in the gym but works across the whole body,' she says. 'It's one of the best anti-inflammatory tools we have.' Exercise also keeps the thymus gland healthier for longer. This is located in our necks and produces T cells, which are the master controllers of the immune system, but its performance declines with age and it has deteriorated significantly by the age of 70, which is why older adults become more vulnerable to infections like pneumonia and shingles, Dr Macciochi says. 'There's some lovely research showing that physical activity offsets that decline,' she says. 'It's not going to stop it, it will still have this change but it's going to be happening much slower.' Ideally, we should all be doing some cardiovascular exercise and resistance-based exercise, Dr Macciochi says but most people will benefit simply from breaking up long periods of sitting, she says. 'Don't defer until the perfect week when you can get to the gym five times,' she says. 'Take your baseline activity level and make an increment, make it sustainable and then build it up again.' Eat fewer calories and stop snacking 'As a nation, we are eating almost all the time,' Dr Macciochi says. Research shows that people are in a 'fed state' for 18 hours a day. 'Our digestion was never designed to cope with this,' she says. In the time after eating a meal, our bodies need a break to digest the food and return postprandial (post-eating) inflammation to baseline levels, she explains. 'If you're snacking from 7am to 9pm, your body is never getting that nice rhythm,' Dr Macciochi says. Unwanted inflammation will build up and contribute to inflammageing, she says. Meanwhile, studies have shown that eating less – reducing calories by 20 to 30 per cent while still meeting all nutritional needs – reduces inflammatory markers and inflammageing, she notes. While this approach may be recommended for younger people, especially below the age of 40, Dr Macciochi advises older groups against calorie restriction, so that they don't lose muscle mass. However, people should focus on consolidating their food into three meals, she says. 'Make those meals really nourishing to prevent grazing all the time because we know that's really not helpful for inflammation.' Add anti-inflammatory foods to your meals Olive oil is one of the most-researched anti-inflammatory food, Dr Macciochi says. 'It contains oleocanthal which has a molecular structure similar to the well-known anti-inflammatory ibuprofen,' she notes. 'It's thought that people in the Mediterranean are living so long and so well because they're getting this tiny anti-inflammatory effect every day through the olive oil that they use,' Dr Macciochi says. 'If people want to invest in a longevity supplement, I would say start with olive oil.' The wider Mediterranean diet is made up of minimally processed grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fresh seasonal produce, olive oil and oily fish, she notes. 'These dietary patterns don't just prevent chronic disease – they actively mitigate the mechanisms driving inflammageing,' according to Dr Macciochi. Research also shows that adopting the MIND diet, made up of antioxidant-rich leafy greens, berries, wholegrain, nuts beans and fish, will reduce inflammation and protect against Alzheimer's. 'It has been designed to take elements that are good for brain health,' Dr Macciochi explains. 'It's high in polyphenols, antioxidants and it's good for the gut and it's anti-inflammatory.' 'People don't make the link between cognitive function and inflammation but that's a growing area,' she says. 'If we have raised inflammation in the body, that will be affecting what happens in the brain. We have immune cells in the brain called microglia and when they sense danger, they start spitting out inflammation which we know is then linked to cognitive decline.' Eat more fibre to improve gut health 'Around 70 per cent of our immune cells are located along the digestive tract,' Dr Macciochi notes. 'The main reason for that is because the digestive tract is an obvious route for infection. We also have a collection of microbes that live in there and make up the microbiome.' Our microbiome is essential for producing immune-modulating cells, such as T cells which prevent the immune system from overreacting to harmless substances or underperforming when we do encounter a bug, she explains. Fibre is the forgotten key for good gut health and good immune health. 'When your microbes break it down, they produce short-chain fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory,' Dr Macciochi says. 'They keep the gut barrier really tight. They help seal up postprandial gut leakiness. Vegetables, fruit and legumes are all rich sources of fibre but it's important to increase how many you're eating slowly to reduce the risk of uncomfortable bloating, she adds. is out now.
