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This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was granted for revolutionary discoveries that clarify how the immune system attacks dangerous infections while protecting the healthy tissues.

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

Their work identified unique "sentinels" within the defense system that remove rogue immune cells capable of harming the organism.

The findings are now paving the way for new therapies for autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

The laureates will share a monetary award valued at 11m Swedish kronor.

Crucial Discoveries

"The research has been decisive for comprehending how the immune system functions and the reason we don't all develop severe self-attack conditions," stated the chair of the award panel.

The team's studies address a fundamental mystery: How does the defense system protect us from countless invaders while leaving our healthy cells intact?

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

These cells utilize sensors—called receptors—that are generated randomly in countless combinations.

That gives the immune system the capacity to fight a broad range of invaders, but the randomness of the process unavoidably produces white blood cells that can target the body.

Protectors of the Body

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

This year's award honors the identification of T-reg cells—described as the immune system's "security guards"—which travel through the body to disarm other immune cells that attack the body's own tissues.

We know that this process malfunctions in autoimmune diseases such as type-1 diabetes, MS, and rheumatoid arthritis.

A Nobel panel stated, "These findings have established a new field of research and accelerated the development of innovative treatments, for example for cancer and immune disorders."

Regarding malignancies, regulatory T-cells prevent the system from attacking the tumor, so research are aimed at reducing their numbers.

In autoimmune diseases, trials are exploring increasing T-reg cells so the body is not under attack. A comparable method could also be effective in reducing the risks of transplanted organ rejection.

Innovative Studies

Prof Shimon Sakaguchi, of a Japanese institution, performed experiments on rodents that had their thymus extracted, causing autoimmune disease.

The researcher showed that introducing defense cells from healthy mice could stop the disease—suggesting there was a mechanism for blocking defenders from attacking the body.

Mary Brunkow, affiliated with the a research center in a US city, and Dr. Ramsdell, now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in a California city, were investigating an inherited immune disorder in rodents and people that resulted in the discovery of a genetic factor vital for the way regulatory T-cells function.

"The pioneering research has uncovered how the immune system is kept in check by regulatory T cells, preventing it from mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues," said a prominent biological science specialist.

"This work is a remarkable illustration of how fundamental biological study can have far-reaching implications for human health."