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The Nobel Prize in medical science was awarded for revolutionary discoveries that clarify how the immune system attacks harmful pathogens while protecting the body's own cells.

Three renowned scientists—from Japan Shimon Sakaguchi and American experts Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—received this honor.

Their work uncovered unique "sentinels" within the immune system that eliminate malfunctioning defense cells that could harming the body.

The discoveries are now paving the way for innovative therapies for autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

The laureates will divide a monetary award valued at 11m SEK.

Crucial Findings

"Their work has been decisive for understanding how the body's defenses operates and the reason we don't all develop serious self-attack conditions," commented the chair of the award panel.

This trio's studies explain a core mystery: In what way does the defense system protect us from countless invaders while keeping our healthy cells unharmed?

The immune system employs immune cells that search for signs of infection, including pathogens and bacteria it has never encountered.

Such cells utilize detectors—known as receptors—that are produced randomly in a vast number of combinations.

That gives the defense network the capacity to combat a broad range of threats, but the randomness of the process inevitably creates immune cells that can target the host.

Protectors of the Immune System

Researchers earlier knew that a portion of these problematic defense cells were destroyed in the immune organ—the site where immune cells develop.

This year's award honors the identification of regulatory T-cells—described as the immune system's "peacekeepers"—which travel through the system to neutralize any defenders that attack the body's own tissues.

We know that this mechanism fails in autoimmune diseases such as type-1 diabetes, MS, and RA.

The prize committee stated, "These discoveries have established a new field of investigation and accelerated the development of innovative therapies, for instance for tumors and immune disorders."

In malignancies, regulatory T-cells prevent the body from fighting the growth, so studies are focused on reducing their quantity.

For autoimmune diseases, experiments are exploring increasing regulatory T-cells so the organism is no longer being harmed. A similar approach could also be effective in minimizing the risks of transplanted organ rejection.

Innovative Studies

Prof Sakaguchi, of a Japanese institution, performed tests on rodents that had their immune gland removed, leading to autoimmune disease.

He showed that injecting defense cells from other animals could stop the illness—suggesting there was a system for preventing defenders from attacking the host.

Mary Brunkow, affiliated with the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, and Fred Ramsdell, currently at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in a California city, were investigating an genetic autoimmune disease in mice and people that led to the identification of a gene vital for how regulatory T-cells operate.

"The groundbreaking work has revealed how the body's defenses is kept in check by regulatory T cells, preventing it from mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues," commented a prominent physiology specialist.

"This research is a striking example of how basic biological study can have broad implications for public health."