Get the latest Science News and Discoveries
Allergy or infection? Scientists discover what distinguishes these two immune system responses - EurekAlert
The production of antibodies, essential for protecting our body against infections, is very well regulated through the action of a specific subtype of immune system cells, follicular helper lymphocytes. Now, a team led by Luís Graça, group leader at the Instituto de MedicinaMolecular João Lobo Antunes (iMM) and Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lisbon, has dedicated itself to the detailed characterization of the functioning of these cells, in an article published today in the prestigious scientific magazine Cell Discovery*, and found that this type of cells can be divided into two groups: cells that promote the production of antibodies to defend against virus infections and cells associated with the production of antibodies involved in defense against parasites and allergies . Understanding the working mechanisms of these two sets of cells could pave the way for the discovery of new therapies for allergy diseases, without affecting the beneficial response of the immune system against infections.
None
Or read this on Eureka Alert