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The prestigious award in medical science was granted for transformative findings that clarify how the immune system attacks harmful pathogens while sparing the healthy tissues.

A trio of esteemed scientists—Japan's Prof. Sakaguchi and US scientists Mary Brunkow and Dr. Ramsdell—received this accolade.

Their research identified specialized "security guards" within the defense system that eliminate malfunctioning immune cells capable of harming the organism.

The discoveries are now enabling new treatments for autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

The laureates will share a prize fund valued at 11 million Swedish kronor.

Crucial Findings

"The research has been decisive for understanding how the immune system functions and the reason we do not all develop severe autoimmune diseases," stated the chair of the Nobel Committee.

The trio's studies address a core question: In what way does the defense system protect us from countless infections while leaving our healthy cells unharmed?

The body's protection system uses immune cells that scan for indicators of disease, even pathogens and germs it has never encountered.

Such defenders employ sensors—called receptors—that are generated by chance in a vast number of variations.

That gives the defense network the ability to combat a wide array of invaders, but the randomness of the mechanism inevitably produces immune cells that may target the body.

Security Guards of the Immune System

Researchers earlier knew that some of these problematic defense cells were eliminated in the thymus—the site where white blood cells mature.

This year's award recognizes the discovery of regulatory T-cells—known as the body's "security guards"—which patrol the system to neutralize other immune cells that attack the body's own tissues.

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

The prize committee stated, "These discoveries have laid the foundation for a new field of investigation and spurred the development of innovative therapies, for instance for tumors and immune disorders."

In cancer, regulatory T-cells prevent the body from fighting the tumor, so studies are focused on lowering their numbers.

In autoimmune diseases, experiments are exploring boosting regulatory T-cells so the organism is not under attack. A similar method could also be effective in minimizing the risks of organ transplant failure.

Innovative Experiments

Prof Sakaguchi, of Osaka University, conducted tests on rodents that had their thymus removed, leading to autoimmune disease.

The researcher showed that injecting immune cells from healthy mice could prevent the disease—implying there was a system for preventing defenders from harming the host.

Mary Brunkow, from the a research center in Seattle, and Dr. Ramsdell, now at a biotech firm in San Francisco, were studying an genetic immune disorder in mice and people that led to the identification of a gene vital for the way T-regs function.

"The pioneering work has uncovered how the immune system is controlled by regulatory T cells, stopping it from mistakenly targeting the body's own tissues," said a prominent physiology expert.

"This research is a striking illustration of how basic physiological research can have broad consequences for public health."