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The Nobel Prize in medical science has been granted for transformative discoveries that clarify how the immune system attacks harmful pathogens while protecting the body's own cells.

A trio of esteemed scientists—Japan's Prof. Sakaguchi and American scientists Dr. Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell—share this accolade.

Their work uncovered specialized "security guards" within the immune system that eliminate rogue defense cells that could harming the organism.

The discoveries are now paving the way for new therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer.

These winners will share a monetary award valued at 11 million Swedish kronor.

Crucial Discoveries

"Their work has been essential for understanding how the body's defenses functions and the reason we don't all suffer from severe autoimmune diseases," stated the chair of the Nobel Committee.

The trio's studies address a fundamental mystery: In what way does the defense system defend us from countless infections while leaving our healthy cells unharmed?

The body's protection system uses immune cells that scan for signs of disease, even viruses and bacteria it has not met before.

These defenders employ sensors—called recognition units—that are generated by chance in a vast number of combinations.

This provides the immune system the capacity to combat a wide array of threats, but the unpredictability of the process unavoidably produces immune cells that can target the body.

Security Guards of the Body

Scientists earlier knew that a portion of these harmful defense cells were eliminated in the thymus—the site where white blood cells mature.

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

It is known that this mechanism fails in self-attack conditions such as type-1 diabetes, MS, and rheumatoid arthritis.

A prize committee stated, "These discoveries have laid the foundation for a novel area of investigation and spurred the creation of innovative therapies, for example for tumors and immune disorders."

Regarding cancer, regulatory T-cells prevent the system from fighting the tumor, so research are focused on reducing their numbers.

In self-attack disorders, trials are testing boosting regulatory T-cells so the body is not being harmed. A comparable approach could also be useful in reducing the risks of transplanted organ rejection.

Innovative Studies

Prof Sakaguchi, of Osaka University, performed tests on rodents that had their thymus removed, leading to autoimmune disease.

He demonstrated that injecting immune cells from other animals could stop the disease—suggesting there was a system for blocking defenders from attacking the body.

Mary Brunkow, affiliated with the Institute for Systems Biology in a US city, and Dr. Ramsdell, now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in a California city, were investigating an inherited immune disorder in mice and people that led to the identification of a genetic factor critical for how T-regs function.

"The pioneering research has uncovered how the body's defenses is kept in check by regulatory T cells, stopping it from mistakenly targeting the healthy cells," said a leading biological science specialist.

"The research is a striking illustration of how fundamental physiological study can have far-reaching implications for public health."