In a series of studies, Eric Skaar, PhD, and colleagues have characterized how A. baumannii — a leading cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia — responds to zinc starvation.
The study focused on antibody-producing white blood cells called B cells. These cells bear Y-shaped receptors that, like microscopic antenna, can detect an enormous range of germs and other foreign invaders.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors — cancer therapies that remove the “brakes” on the adaptive anti-tumor immune response — have had remarkable success in melanoma and lung cancer.
Monocytes are known to play an important role in hypertension, although the exact mechanism remains unclear. It is hypothesized that a potential source of monocyte activation originates from its interaction with the vascular endothelium.
