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The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been granted for revolutionary findings that clarify how the body's defense network targets dangerous pathogens while sparing the body's own cells.

Three renowned scientists—from Japan Prof. Sakaguchi and US scientists Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—received this accolade.

The work identified specialized "security guards" within the immune system that remove malfunctioning immune cells capable of attacking the organism.

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

These winners will divide a monetary award valued at 11m Swedish kronor.

Crucial Findings

"Their research has been essential for comprehending how the body's defenses operates and why we don't all suffer from serious self-attack conditions," stated the head of the Nobel Committee.

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

The body's protection system uses white blood cells that search for signs of disease, including viruses and germs it has never encountered.

Such defenders utilize detectors—called recognition units—that are generated randomly in countless combinations.

This gives the immune system the ability to fight a wide array of invaders, but the unpredictability of the mechanism inevitably creates immune cells that can target the host.

Protectors of the Body

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

The latest Nobel Prize recognizes the identification of regulatory T-cells—known as the body's "peacekeepers"—which patrol the body to neutralize other immune cells that attack the healthy cells.

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

A Nobel panel stated, "The findings have established a new field of investigation and accelerated the development of innovative treatments, for instance for tumors and autoimmune diseases."

Regarding cancer, regulatory T-cells block the system from attacking the tumor, so research are focused on reducing their quantity.

For autoimmune diseases, experiments are testing boosting T-reg cells so the organism is not under attack. A comparable approach could also be useful in reducing the risks of organ transplant failure.

Pioneering Experiments

Prof Sakaguchi, of Osaka University, performed tests on rodents that had their immune gland extracted, leading to self-attack conditions.

He demonstrated that introducing defense cells from healthy animals could stop the disease—implying there was a system for preventing defenders from attacking the body.

Dr. Brunkow, affiliated with the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, and Fred Ramsdell, currently at a biotech firm in a California city, were studying an inherited autoimmune disease in mice and people that resulted in the discovery of a gene vital for the way T-regs operate.

"Their groundbreaking research has uncovered how the body's defenses is controlled by regulatory T cells, stopping it from mistakenly attacking the healthy cells," commented a leading physiology expert.

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