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The Nobel Prize in medical science was granted for revolutionary findings that clarify how the immune system targets dangerous infections while sparing the body's own cells.

A trio of esteemed scientists—from Japan Shimon Sakaguchi and US scientists Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell—share this accolade.

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

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

The winners will share a monetary award worth 11 million SEK.

Decisive Discoveries

"The work has been essential for understanding how the immune system functions and the reason we don't all suffer from serious autoimmune diseases," stated the chair of the award panel.

This trio's studies address a core mystery: How does the defense system defend us from numerous invaders while leaving our healthy cells unharmed?

The body's protection system employs immune cells that search for signs of infection, even pathogens and germs it has never encountered.

These cells utilize detectors—called receptors—that are produced by chance in countless variations.

This gives the defense network the capacity to combat a broad range of threats, but the randomness of the process inevitably creates white blood cells that may target the host.

Security Guards of the Immune System

Scientists earlier knew that some of these harmful defense cells were destroyed in the thymus—where white blood cells mature.

The latest award recognizes the identification of T-reg cells—known as the immune system's "security guards"—which travel through the body to neutralize other defenders that assault the healthy cells.

We know that this mechanism malfunctions in autoimmune diseases such as juvenile diabetes, MS, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Nobel panel stated, "These discoveries have laid the foundation for a novel area of investigation and accelerated the development of new therapies, for example for tumors and autoimmune diseases."

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

In self-attack disorders, trials are testing increasing 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 rejection.

Pioneering Experiments

Prof Shimon Sakaguchi, from a Japanese institution, performed tests on mice that had their immune gland removed, causing self-attack conditions.

He showed that injecting defense cells from healthy mice could stop the disease—implying there was a mechanism for blocking defenders from attacking the body.

Mary Brunkow, from the a research center in Seattle, and Fred Ramsdell, now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, were studying an genetic immune disorder in rodents and people that led to the discovery of a genetic factor vital for the way regulatory T-cells operate.

"Their groundbreaking research 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," said a leading physiology specialist.

"This research is a striking example of how fundamental biological research can have broad implications for human health."