Three distinguished scientists (two from the U.S. and one from Japan) have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their pivotal discovery related to peripheral immune resistance.
Mary E. Blankku, Fred Ramsdell, and Sakaguchi Shiko were jointly recognized for their breakthrough that “has invigorated the field of peripheral tolerance and contributed to the advancement of medical treatments for cancer and autoimmune disorders,” as stated in a news release by the Nobel Committee. The three recipients will share a prize of 11 million Swedish Kronor (approximately $1.2 million).
“This could also enhance the success rates of organ transplants. Several of these therapies are currently in clinical trials,” he noted.
Autoimmune diseases may arise when T cells, which serve as the body’s main defense against harmful pathogens, malfunction.
Their collective discovery establishes an essential foundation for understanding alternative methods by which the immune system, known as peripheral resistance, functions.
To mitigate damage, our bodies attempt to eliminate malfunctioning T cells within the thymus, a lymphoid organ, through a mechanism termed central resistance. Associated Press.
The groundbreaking research began in 1995 when Sakaguchi, a prominent professor at the Center for Immunology Frontier Research at Osaka University in Japan, uncovered a previously unknown class of immune cells that defend against autoimmune diseases.
Six years later, in 2001, Mary Blankku, who now serves as a senior program manager at the Institute of Systems Biology in Seattle, along with Ramsdell, a scientific advisor to Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, identified a specific genetic mutation responsible for a severe autoimmune disease known as IPEX.
They designated this gene as foxp3.
By 2003, Sakaguchi confirmed that the FOXP3 gene he had identified nearly a decade prior was crucial for cell development. These cells are now referred to as regulatory T cells, which are essential in monitoring other T cells to prevent their malfunction.
“Their discoveries were vital for understanding the immune system’s functioning and why serious autoimmune diseases don’t affect everyone,” remarked All Kampe, Chairman of the Nobel Committee.
Nobel Committee Executive Director Thomas Perman announced the award on Monday morning, stating that he was only able to reach Sakaguchi.
“I hugged him in his lab, and he expressed immense gratitude, stating it was a tremendous honor. He was quite moved by the news,” Perman mentioned.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for December 10th, coinciding with the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, a Swedish industrialist who founded the award to honor individuals who have significantly contributed to humanity. The inaugural award was revealed in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of his passing.
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine will be announced in Stockholm at the Karolinska Institute on Monday, followed by the prizes for Physics, Chemistry, and Literature on the ensuing days.
The Nobel Peace Prize will be revealed on Friday.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
