Antibody-Producing B Cells (Green) Releasing Antibody (Brown) (IMAGE)
Caption
A discovery about how the immune system responds to malaria infection could lead to better treatments for hepatitis C, HIV and lupus, say Australian researchers. The research team showed, in laboratory models, that strong inflammatory signals caused by malaria infection activate molecules that trigger B cells to produce highly potent antibodies to fight the disease. In this image, we see B cells (green) producing antibody (brown). The same inflammatory signals are seen in human malaria infections, chronic viral infections and autoimmunity. This suggests the discovery could be harnessed to develop new vaccines and therapies that are better able to fight infections such as hepatitis C and HIV, and treat diseases such as lupus.
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Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
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