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The Nobel Prize in medical science was granted for transformative discoveries that clarify how the body's defense network attacks harmful pathogens while sparing the body's own cells.

Three esteemed researchers—Japan's Shimon Sakaguchi and US experts Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—share this accolade.

The work identified unique "security guards" within the immune system that eliminate malfunctioning defense cells that could harming the organism.

The findings are now enabling innovative therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer.

These laureates will divide a monetary award worth 11 million SEK.

Crucial Findings

"The work has been decisive for understanding how the immune system operates and the reason we don't all suffer from severe autoimmune diseases," stated the head of the Nobel Committee.

The trio's studies address a fundamental mystery: In what way does the immune system protect us from numerous invaders while leaving our healthy cells unharmed?

Our immune system employs white blood cells that scan for indicators of disease, including pathogens and germs it has never encountered.

Such cells employ detectors—called recognition units—that are generated by chance in a vast number of combinations.

That gives the defense network the capacity to fight a wide array of invaders, but the unpredictability of the process inevitably produces immune cells that may attack the body.

Security Guards of the Immune System

Scientists previously understood that a portion of these harmful defense cells were eliminated in the thymus—where white blood cells develop.

The latest award recognizes the discovery of regulatory T-cells—known as the body's "security guards"—which patrol the system to disarm any defenders that attack the body's own tissues.

It is known that this process fails in autoimmune diseases such as juvenile diabetes, MS, and RA.

A prize committee added, "These findings have established a new field of investigation and accelerated the creation of new therapies, for instance for cancer and autoimmune diseases."

Regarding malignancies, T-regs prevent the system from attacking the growth, so research are aimed at reducing their numbers.

For autoimmune diseases, trials are testing increasing T-reg cells so the organism is not being harmed. A similar approach could also be useful in reducing the chances of transplanted organ rejection.

Innovative Studies

Professor Shimon Sakaguchi, from Osaka University, conducted tests on mice that had their immune gland extracted, causing autoimmune disease.

He showed that introducing immune cells from healthy mice could stop the disease—suggesting there was a system for blocking defenders from harming the host.

Mary Brunkow, affiliated with the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, and Fred Ramsdell, now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, were investigating an genetic autoimmune disease in rodents and people that led to the discovery of a gene vital for how T-regs operate.

"Their pioneering research has revealed how the immune system is kept in check by regulatory T cells, stopping it from accidentally attacking the healthy cells," said a prominent physiology specialist.

"This research is a remarkable example of how basic physiological research can have broad consequences for public health."