Scientists have discovered why colds are more common when temperatures drop.
An immune response inside the nose, which has just been discovered, is suppressed when temperatures fall.
Scientists previously believed colds may be more prevalent because people spend more time indoors together.
Researchers say this finding offers the first biological evidence for why respiratory illnesses like colds, flu and Covid-19 are more likely to surge when the temperature drops.
The upper respiratory tract (nose, mouth and throat) is the primary way people become infected, through either inhaling the bug or depositing it with their hands.
And researchers at Mass Eye and Ear hospital and Northeastern University, both in Boston, have discovered a previously unidentified immune response inside the nose that fights off viruses responsible for upper respiratory infections.
Further testing revealed this response becomes blocked in the cold.
Dr Benjamin Bleier, director of otolaryngology translational research at Mass Eye and Ear and senior author of the study, said: "Conventionally, it was thought that cold and flu season occurred in cooler months because people are stuck indoors more where airborne viruses could spread more easily.
"Our study however points to a biological root cause for the seasonal variation in upper respiratory viral infections we see each year, most recently demonstrated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic."
A 2018 study led by Dr Bleier and Prof Mansoor Amiji, a specialist in pharmaceutical sciences at Northeastern University, uncovered an innate immune response triggered when bacteria is inhaled through the nose.
They found that cells in the front of the nose detected the bacteria and then released billions of tiny fluid-filled sacs called extracellular vesicles (or EVs, known previously as exosomes) into the mucus to surround and attack the bacteria.
The 2018 study also showed that the EVs shuttle protective antibacterial proteins through the mucus from the front of the nose to the back of it along the airway, which then protects other cells against the bacteria before it gets too far into the body.
For the new study, the researchers wanted to see if this immune response was also triggered by viruses inhaled through the nose, which are the source of some of the most common upper respiratory infections.
Led by first study author Di Huang, a research fellow at Mass Eye and Ear and Northeastern, the researchers analysed how cells and samples collected from the noses of patients undergoing surgery and healthy volunteers responded to three viruses — a single coronavirus and two rhinoviruses that cause the common cold.
They found that each virus triggered an EV swarm response from nasal cells, albeit using a signalling pathway different from the one used to fight off bacteria.
This is also how the researchers discovered a mechanism at play in the response against the viruses — upon their release, the EVs acted as decoys to which the virus would bind instead of the nasal cells.
Next they tested how colder temperatures affected this response.
Healthy people from a room temperature environment were exposed to 4.4°C temperatures for 15 minutes — leading the temperature inside the nose to fall about 5°C.
Researchers then applied this reduction in temperature to the nasal tissue samples and saw that the immune response was not as strong.
The quantity of EVs put out by the nasal cells decreased by nearly 42 per cent and the antiviral proteins in the EVs were also impaired.
"Combined, these findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the seasonal variation in upper respiratory infections," Dr Huang said.
The researchers hope to replicate the findings with other diseases in the future.
From their recent findings, the researchers can also imagine ways in which medication can induce and strengthen the nose's innate immune response.
For example, a nasal spray could be designed to increase the number of EVs in the nose.
The new study is published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
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- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
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In the Restaurant: Society in Four Courses
Christoph Ribbat
Translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli
Pushkin Press
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Kerala Knights 103-7 (10 ov)
Parnell 59 not out; Tambe 5-15
Sindhis 104-1 (7.4 ov)
Watson 50 not out, Devcich 49
On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
Second course
▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
Third course
▶ Bahraini bouillabaisse Venus clams, local prawns, fishfarm seabream, farro
▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
Dessert
▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
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