Researchers have identified clusters of immune cells in the back of the skull in mice, suggesting a potential new pathway for treating brain-related diseases in humans.
Key facts
- •Immune hubs at the back of the skull contain T-cells, B-cells, and antigen-presenting cells.
- •The hubs function similarly to lymph nodes by exposing immune cells to potential threats.
- •Blocking the CD40L protein in these hubs reduced survival time in mice with brain tumors.
- •Enhancing immune cell activation in the hubs increased survival time in mice by about 10 days.
- •Researchers suggest these hubs could be targets for treating brain cancer, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.
A study led by Jonathan Kipnis at the University of Washington has identified previously unknown immune cell hubs located at the back of the skull in mice. These hubs, which contain T-cells, B-cells, and antigen-presenting cells, appear to function similarly to lymph nodes by activating immune responses against threats like tumors.
By the numbers
Evidence in Humans and Mice
The research team identified these clusters by imaging and analyzing mouse skulls. While the presence of these hubs in humans has not been confirmed through direct observation of cadavers, gene activity data from prior studies suggests that similar T-cell and B-cell activation occurs in the human skull.
Impact on Immune Response
To test the function of these hubs, researchers injected cancer cells into the brains of mice. Mice treated with a drug that blocked the activation of immune cells in these hubs lived for an average of 25 days, compared to 35 days for the control group. Conversely, mice treated with drugs that enhanced the activation of these immune cells survived approximately 10 days longer than those in the placebo group.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by New Scientist.
