Nobel Award Honors Pioneering Immune System Research
The Nobel Prize in medical science was granted for transformative findings that clarify how the immune system targets dangerous pathogens while protecting the body's own cells.
A trio of renowned researchers—Japan's Prof. Sakaguchi and American scientists Dr. Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—received this honor.
Their work uncovered unique "sentinels" within the defense system that remove malfunctioning immune cells that could attacking the organism.
The discoveries are now paving the way for new treatments for immune disorders and malignancies.
These winners will share a monetary award valued at 11m Swedish kronor.
Decisive Discoveries
"Their research has been decisive for understanding how the body's defenses operates and why we don't all develop serious autoimmune diseases," commented the chair of the award panel.
This team's research explain a fundamental question: In what way does the immune system defend us from countless infections while leaving our healthy cells intact?
Our immune system employs immune cells that scan for signs of infection, including pathogens and bacteria it has never encountered.
Such defenders employ detectors—called receptors—that are produced by chance in a vast number of variations.
This gives the immune system the ability to combat a broad range of threats, but the randomness of the mechanism unavoidably produces white blood cells that may target the host.
Protectors of the Immune System
Scientists earlier understood that a portion of these harmful white blood cells were destroyed in the immune organ—where immune cells develop.
The latest award recognizes the discovery of T-reg cells—described as the body's "peacekeepers"—which travel through the body to neutralize other defenders that assault the healthy cells.
We know that this mechanism fails in self-attack conditions such as type-1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and RA.
The Nobel panel added, "These findings have established a novel area of investigation and accelerated the creation of innovative therapies, for instance for cancer and autoimmune diseases."
Regarding cancer, T-regs prevent the body from fighting the tumor, so studies are focused on reducing their quantity.
For autoimmune diseases, trials are testing increasing regulatory T-cells so the organism is not under attack. A comparable approach could also be useful in reducing the chances of transplanted organ failure.
Innovative Studies
Prof Sakaguchi, from Osaka University, performed experiments on rodents that had their immune gland removed, leading to autoimmune disease.
He demonstrated that injecting immune cells from other animals could stop the disease—suggesting there was a system for preventing defenders from harming the body.
Mary Brunkow, from the a research center in a US city, and Fred Ramsdell, now at a biotech firm in San Francisco, were investigating an genetic immune disorder in rodents and people that resulted in the discovery of a gene vital for how T-regs function.
"The groundbreaking work has revealed how the body's defenses is controlled by regulatory T cells, stopping it from accidentally targeting the body's own tissues," said a prominent physiology specialist.
"The work is a remarkable illustration of how basic biological research can have far-reaching implications for public health."
