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This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was granted for revolutionary discoveries that clarify how the body's defense network targets harmful pathogens while protecting the body's own cells.

Three esteemed scientists—from Japan Shimon Sakaguchi and US scientists Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—share this accolade.

Their work uncovered unique "sentinels" within the immune system that remove malfunctioning immune cells capable of attacking the organism.

These discoveries are now enabling new therapies for autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

These winners will share a monetary award valued at 11m SEK.

Crucial Discoveries

"Their work has been decisive for understanding how the body's defenses functions and the reason we do not all suffer from serious autoimmune diseases," stated the chair of the award panel.

This trio's research explain a fundamental mystery: In what way does the defense system defend us from numerous infections while leaving our healthy cells unharmed?

The body's protection system uses white blood cells that search for indicators of infection, even viruses and bacteria it has not met before.

These defenders utilize sensors—called receptors—that are produced by chance in countless combinations.

This provides the immune system the ability to fight a broad range of invaders, but the randomness of the mechanism inevitably creates immune cells that may attack the body.

Security Guards of the Immune System

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

The latest Nobel Prize recognizes the identification of T-reg cells—known as the body's "security guards"—which patrol the system to disarm any defenders that attack the body's own tissues.

We know that this mechanism fails in self-attack conditions such as type-1 diabetes, MS, and rheumatoid arthritis.

A Nobel panel stated, "The findings have established a novel area of investigation and accelerated the creation of new therapies, for example for tumors and autoimmune diseases."

In cancer, T-regs prevent the system from attacking the growth, so research are aimed at reducing their numbers.

For self-attack disorders, trials are testing increasing regulatory T-cells so the body is no longer under attack. A similar method could also be effective in minimizing the risks of transplanted organ failure.

Innovative Studies

Prof Shimon Sakaguchi, from Osaka University, performed experiments on mice that had their immune gland extracted, leading to autoimmune disease.

The researcher demonstrated that injecting immune cells from healthy mice could stop the disease—implying there was a mechanism for preventing defenders from attacking the host.

Mary Brunkow, affiliated with the Institute for Systems Biology in a US city, and Dr. Ramsdell, now at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in a California city, were studying an genetic immune disorder in mice and people that resulted in the identification of a genetic factor vital for how T-regs function.

"The groundbreaking research has uncovered how the immune system is kept in check by T-reg cells, preventing it from mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues," said a leading physiology specialist.

"The research is a striking illustration of how basic physiological study can have far-reaching implications for public health."