Research Briefs

John Cambier, PhD, Chair of Immunology, recently reported the discovery of a novel protein that may be an important therapeutic target for lymphoma and immune diseases. The protein, MPYS, helps transmit suicidal signals in B cells, immune cells that produce disease-fighting antibodies. Delivering death signals to B cells could help fight lymphoma, a cancer of B cells, and autoimmune diseases, which often involve aberrant B cells.

A significant proportion of asthma patients fail to respond to corticosteroids, the mainstay of asthma treatment. Professor of Pediatrics Donald Leung, MD, PhD, and his colleagues recently reported that patients may become steroid-resistant as a result of inhaling bacterial remains, known as LPS. Recent research at National Jewish Health indicates that many asthma patients have chronic bacterial infections, which could be the source of the LPS. Living with a dog, which Dr. Leung found was more common among steroid-resistant asthmatics, also increases exposure to LPS.

An infection that often goes undetected can block the lung's natural protective response against tobacco smoke, according to Professor of Medicine Brian Day, PhD. Dr. Day's findings suggest that Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection may be a co-factor that leads to COPD and other diseases among smokers.