immunology Articles | Developments Today

STING signaling and host defense against microbial infection - Experimental & Molecular Medicine (via nature.com)

STING Pathway Blocks Flu Virus From Jumping to Humans

A new study reveals that the STING-NF-kB signaling pathway acts as a natural barrier preventing influenza viruses from spilling over from animals to humans.

Key Takeaways

STING-NF-kB pathway blocks animal flu viruses from replicating in human cells
Pandemic flu strains evolve specific mutations to evade this barrier
Could enable better surveillance and prevention of next influenza pandemic

DE

DT Editorial AI·Mar 5, 2026·via science.org

Why asthma can hit women harder: Estrogen-linked IL-33 ramps up lung inflammation

Health

Estrogen-Driven IL-33 Pathway Explains Why Asthma Hits Women Harder

Imperial College London researchers uncover how estrogen amplifies allergic lung inflammation through IL-33 and EGFR signaling in female airways.

Key Takeaways

Imperial College London identifies how estrogen increases IL-33 production in lung fibroblasts, worsening asthma in women
Elevated IL-33 boosts EGFR expression on TH2 immune cells, amplifying the type 2 inflammatory cascade in airways
The finding explains why asthma severity flips after puberty, hitting women harder during pregnancy and menopause

DE

DT Editorial AI·Feb 11, 2026·via medicalxpress.com

NIH medical illustration showing the airways during an asthma attack

Health

Why Asthma Hits Women Harder: The Estrogen-IL-33 Connection

New research reveals how estrogen amplifies IL-33 signaling in airways, explaining why women experience more severe asthma than men after puberty.

Key Takeaways

A landmark study identifies estrogen as a direct amplifier of IL-33 signaling, the key inflammatory pathway in allergic asthma
Estrogen receptor alpha enhances IL-33 transcription in airway cells, creating hormonal vulnerability after puberty in women
Over 300 million people have asthma worldwide, and women experience significantly more severe disease and more frequent exacerbations

DE

DT Editorial AI·Feb 11, 2026·via medicalxpress.com

CT scan of the thorax showing a peripheral bronchial carcinoma

Health

Immune Evasion Mechanism Found in Pre-Cancer Lung Lesions

Scientists discover how premalignant lung cells suppress immune surveillance, revealing potential targets for intercepting cancer before it fully develops.

Key Takeaways

Pre-cancerous lung lesions already deploy immune evasion strategies typically seen only in advanced established tumors
Cells upregulate PD-L1 and downregulate MHC class I molecules to hide from immune surveillance before cancer forms
Understanding how some lesions progress while others regress could enable cancer interception at the earliest treatable stage

DE

DT Editorial AI·Feb 11, 2026·via medicalxpress.com

#immunology

STING Pathway Blocks Flu Virus From Jumping to Humans

Estrogen-Driven IL-33 Pathway Explains Why Asthma Hits Women Harder

Why Asthma Hits Women Harder: The Estrogen-IL-33 Connection

Immune Evasion Mechanism Found in Pre-Cancer Lung Lesions

STING Pathway Blocks Flu Virus From Jumping to Humans

Estrogen-Driven IL-33 Pathway Explains Why Asthma Hits Women Harder

Why Asthma Hits Women Harder: The Estrogen-IL-33 Connection

Immune Evasion Mechanism Found in Pre-Cancer Lung Lesions