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

A trio of renowned scientists—Japan's Prof. Sakaguchi and US scientists Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—share this honor.

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

The findings are now paving the way for innovative treatments for autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

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

Crucial Discoveries

"The work has been essential for understanding how the immune system operates and why we don't all develop serious autoimmune diseases," commented the head of the award panel.

The team's research explain a fundamental question: How does the defense system defend us from countless invaders while leaving our healthy cells unharmed?

Our immune system uses white blood cells that scan for signs of disease, including pathogens and germs it has not met before.

These defenders utilize sensors—called receptors—that are generated randomly in countless variations.

That provides the defense network the ability to fight a broad range of invaders, but the unpredictability of the mechanism unavoidably produces white blood cells that may target the host.

Protectors of the Body

Scientists previously knew that a portion of these harmful white blood cells were destroyed in the immune organ—the site where white blood cells develop.

The latest award recognizes the discovery of T-reg cells—known as the body's "peacekeepers"—which travel through the system to neutralize any defenders that attack the body's own tissues.

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

The prize committee added, "The discoveries have established a novel area of investigation and spurred the creation of new treatments, for example for cancer and immune disorders."

Regarding cancer, regulatory T-cells block the system from fighting the tumor, so studies are aimed at reducing their quantity.

For self-attack disorders, experiments are testing boosting T-reg cells so the body is no longer being harmed. A similar method could also be effective in reducing the risks of transplanted organ failure.

Innovative Studies

Prof Shimon Sakaguchi, of a Japanese institution, performed tests on mice that had their immune gland removed, causing autoimmune disease.

The researcher demonstrated that injecting immune cells from healthy animals could prevent the illness—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 Fred Ramsdell, currently at a biotech firm in San Francisco, were investigating an inherited autoimmune disease in mice and humans that led to the identification of a genetic factor critical for how regulatory T-cells function.

"The pioneering work has uncovered how the body's defenses is controlled by regulatory T cells, preventing it from mistakenly targeting the healthy cells," said a prominent physiology expert.

"The research is a striking example of how basic biological study can have broad consequences for human health."