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The prestigious award in Physiology or Medicine was granted for revolutionary findings that illuminate 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 experts Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—share this accolade.

The research uncovered unique "security guards" within the immune system that remove rogue defense cells capable of attacking the body.

These findings are now enabling new treatments for autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

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

Decisive Discoveries

"Their work has been decisive for comprehending how the body's defenses functions and the reason we don't all suffer from severe self-attack conditions," commented the head of the award panel.

The team's studies address a fundamental question: How does the defense system protect us from countless invaders while keeping our own tissues unharmed?

Our body's protection system uses immune cells that scan for indicators of disease, including pathogens and germs it has not met before.

Such defenders employ detectors—called recognition units—that are generated by chance in countless variations.

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

Protectors of the Body

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

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

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

A Nobel panel added, "The findings have established a novel area of research and spurred the development of innovative therapies, for example for tumors and autoimmune diseases."

Regarding cancer, T-regs prevent the system from fighting the tumor, so studies are focused on lowering their quantity.

In autoimmune diseases, trials are testing increasing regulatory T-cells so the organism is not being harmed. A comparable method could also be useful in minimizing the chances of transplanted organ rejection.

Innovative Studies

Professor Sakaguchi, from Osaka University, performed experiments on rodents that had their immune gland extracted, leading to autoimmune disease.

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

Mary Brunkow, from the a research center in Seattle, and Fred Ramsdell, now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, were investigating an genetic autoimmune disease in rodents and people that resulted in the identification of a gene vital for the way regulatory T-cells operate.

"The pioneering 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," commented a leading physiology specialist.

"The research is a remarkable illustration of how fundamental physiological study can have broad consequences for public health."