Scientists have long known that the immune system learns to tolerate harmless substances (such as food) through specialized immune cells called regulatory T cells (Tregs). However, the specific dietary molecules that help train this tolerance have remained largely unknown. A study published in Science Immunology identified several food-derived proteins that appear to play a key role in this […]
Microbiome
Major milestones in microbiome research that shaped understanding of autoimmune disease mechanisms.
Immune Cleanup Failure May Worsen Lupus Gut Inflammation
A new study in Scientific Reports examined what happens when the immune system cannot properly “clean up” dying cells and how that may affect lupus. Researchers studied mice lacking a receptor called SCARF1. This receptor helps immune cells remove dead or dying cells before they trigger inflammation. Without SCARF1, cellular debris built up in tissues. These mice […]
NASPGHAN 2025 Marks Major Shift in Celiac Disease Care & Research
For the first time, the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition (NASPGHAN) dedicated an entire Single Topic Symposium to celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that affects roughly 1 in 100 children but remains frequently missed or diagnosed late. More than 350 clinicians, researchers, dietitians, and mental health professionals attended, reflecting growing recognition […]
Exercise Triggers Immune and Energy Strain in ME/CFS
A new study shows that people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) experience unusually strong immune reactions and energy strain after exercise, helping to explain post-exertional malaise (PEM). Study participants with ME/CFS were compared to healthy controls before and after exercise. The researchers found that the immune system became unusually reactive, with stronger signals of inflammation […]
Gut–Kidney Connection: Microbiome’s Role in IgA Nephropathy
IgA nephropathy, or Berger disease, is an autoimmune disease that occurs when IgA antibodies are deposited in the kidney. This causes inflammation and damage to the kidneys. However, the complete process of how the disease develops is unclear and the disease currently lacks effective early diagnosis and treatment strategies. What is IgA? IgA is an […]
Can Diet Repair Gut Damage from Antibiotics?
Taking antibiotics helps clear our body of bacterial infections, but they also kill off members of our gut microbiota as collateral damage. This leaves the gut microbiota in a state of dysbiosis. Microbial dysbiosis has many risks for our health, including effects on our immune system. Research has shown that an altered gut microbiome is […]
Piperacillin as a Targeted Lyme Disease Treatment
A new study published in Science Translational Medicine reveals that the antibiotic piperacillin may offer a safer and more targeted way to treat Lyme disease. Unlike doxycycline—the current first-line treatment—piperacillin works at much lower doses and avoids the broad-spectrum side effects that disrupt the gut microbiome or harm human cells. Researchers screened nearly 500 FDA-approved drugs and […]
Trained Immunity: Gut Bacteria & Bone Marrow Connection
A recently published study explores the impact of gut microbiota translocation, particularly Enterococcus faecalis, on inducing trained immunity (TI) in myeloid progenitors within the bone marrow. Key findings include: Gut Barrier Disruption and Trained Immunity Mincle Receptor’s Role Protective vs. Detrimental Effects Experimental Findings Human Relevance Citation: Robles-Vera, I., et al. (2025). Microbiota translocation following intestinal barrier […]
Plant Autoimmunity and Microbiota: Implications for Human Health
Although most studies of autoimmunity focus on human health, there’s a lot we can learn about autoimmunity from studying other organisms such as plants. Scientists from Duke University recently identified a gene that helps arabidopsis plants maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Their work, titled Roles of microbiota in autoimmunity in Arabidopsis leaves, has implications for […]
The Link Between Mucosal Tissue and Rheumatoid Arthritis
A recent article published in Nature Reviews Immunology linked alterations of the microbes along mucosal tissues in the lungs, gut, and oral tissues, and pre-RA.