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The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for transformative discoveries that clarify how the immune system attacks harmful pathogens while sparing the healthy tissues.

A trio of esteemed researchers—from Japan Prof. Sakaguchi and American scientists Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—received this honor.

The research uncovered specialized "security guards" within the immune system that remove malfunctioning defense cells capable of harming the organism.

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

The laureates will share a prize fund valued at 11 million SEK.

Crucial Findings

"Their research has been decisive for comprehending how the immune system functions and why we do not all suffer from serious self-attack conditions," stated the chair of the Nobel Committee.

This trio's studies explain a core mystery: How does the immune system protect us from countless invaders while leaving our healthy cells unharmed?

Our body's protection system uses white blood cells that scan for signs of infection, even viruses and bacteria it has not met before.

These defenders employ sensors—called receptors—that are produced randomly in a vast number of variations.

That gives the immune system the ability to combat a broad range of invaders, but the randomness of the process inevitably creates immune cells that may attack the host.

Security Guards of the Immune System

Researchers previously understood that some of these harmful white blood cells were destroyed in the thymus—where white blood cells mature.

The latest award honors the identification of T-reg cells—described as the body's "peacekeepers"—which patrol the body to neutralize any defenders that assault the healthy cells.

We know that this process malfunctions in self-attack conditions such as type-1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and RA.

A Nobel panel stated, "The discoveries have laid the foundation for a novel area of investigation and accelerated the development of new therapies, for instance for cancer and immune disorders."

In malignancies, T-regs prevent the system from fighting the growth, so studies are aimed at reducing their numbers.

In autoimmune diseases, trials are testing boosting regulatory T-cells so the body is no longer under attack. A similar approach could also be effective in minimizing the chances of organ transplant failure.

Pioneering Studies

Prof Sakaguchi, of a Japanese institution, performed tests on mice that had their thymus extracted, causing autoimmune disease.

He demonstrated that injecting defense cells from healthy animals could prevent the disease—implying there was a system for blocking immune cells from attacking the host.

Dr. Brunkow, from the a research center in Seattle, and Dr. Ramsdell, now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in a California city, were investigating an genetic autoimmune disease in rodents and people that resulted in the discovery of a gene critical for how regulatory T-cells function.

"The groundbreaking work has revealed how the immune system is kept in check by regulatory T cells, stopping it from mistakenly attacking the healthy cells," said a prominent biological science expert.

"This research is a striking illustration of how fundamental physiological research can have broad consequences for public health."