‘Regulatory T cells’
Wow
‘Peripheral immune tolerance’
discovery of the mechanism of
Mary E. Branco and Fred Ramsdell were also recognized for their contribution to finding the gene (FOXP3) associated with regulatory T cell dysplasia.
A total of 3 people received awards
In fact, it is safe to say that 99.9% of the credit really belongs to Simon Sakaguchi.
So how did Simon Sakaguchi discover ‘regulatory T cells’ and ‘peripheral immune tolerance’?
It was truly an arduous process that it is no exaggeration to say that it was the result of one person’s concentrated tenacity and intelligence.
T cells:
A type of white blood cell that kills cells that pose a threat to our body, such as cancer cells and infected cells.
Killing these bad cells is called ‘immunity’.
But this immune system lost its mind and went crazy.
In some cases, it even kills normal cells in our body.
This is called ‘autoimmunity’
Diseases caused by autoimmunity are called ‘autoimmune diseases’.
These are mostly rare and incurable diseases.
Typically
Type 1 diabetes (immune activity attacks the pancreas)
Rheumatoid arthritis (immune activity attacks joints)
There are things like
On the other hand, people who are astute will probably notice by this point.
It is said that the body of a normal person always maintains its function because its ‘autoimmunity’ is suppressed by something.
can infer
This suppression of immune activity against normal cells is called ‘immune tolerance’.
To put it very simply:
In a normal country, there would be an organization or person who would prevent soldiers from touching civilians.
These soldiers are called ‘killer’ T cells.
I couldn’t find an ‘organization or person that differentiates civilians’ and I didn’t know the process of making it or the mechanism that works.
Professor Shimon Sakaguchi discovered this and discovered the mechanism by which it works, naming them ‘regulatory T cells’ and ‘peripheral immune tolerance’ respectively.
But why is it called ‘peripheral’ immune tolerance?
To understand this, you must know that the concept of ‘central immune tolerance’ has already been established since the 1960s.
Central immune tolerance is
To put it simply, “”
thymus
Because of this, ‘immune tolerance’ is possible!”
It means
When we are young, the thymus produces cells that promote immune tolerance.
After becoming an adult, when immune activity is complete, most of the functions of the thymus gland are no longer needed and it shrinks.
(One of the few organs that becomes smaller as an adult is the thymus)
How did you prove this?
I had my thymus gland removed.
Because those without a thymus die due to autoimmunity.
It is called ‘central immune tolerance’ because the central region (thymus) produces cells that cause immune tolerance.
However, at this time, Simon Sakaguchi
Autoimmune diseases disappear by giving T cells from normal mice to mice without thymus.
report
“”There are cells that cause immune tolerance not in the center but in the periphery (T cells)””
I come to believe that
So
Since the 1970s
“”There is no such thing as suppressor T cells. It’s already been proven.””
(Suppressor T cells: A concept created in the past to see if there was something among T cells that suppressed immunity. The related experiment was a failure and was discontinued.)
Being treated like a fool in the atmosphere of academia
alone
“There must be something within T cells that causes immune tolerance.”
I firmly believe that
What was discovered after 10 years of repeated experiments and research
.Then what is FOXP3 discovered by the other two people?
In fact, those two people discovered the gene through research completely separate from Sakaguchi and for a completely different purpose.
(Discovered that the gene causing IPEX syndrome is FOXP3)
By the way.
Sakaguchi discovered that this gene was associated with regulatory T cell disorder.
So
Sakaguchi’s contributions:
The existence of regulatory T cells, proof of the peripheral immune tolerance mechanism, and discovery that the gene that causes regulatory T cell failure is FOXP3.
The other two:
FOXP3, which causes IPEX syndrome, was discovered, but Sakaguchi discovered that the gene was related to regulatory T cell disorder and was buried.
Why did you say it was buried?
In fact, research to search for genes for such diseases is being conducted all over the world, and IPEX syndrome is extremely rare among rare diseases.
(That doesn’t mean I think the lives of those with rare diseases are less important)
Peripheral immune tolerance discovered by Sakaguchi
Immunology right now
“”Other than the central nervous system, there is no organ or tissue involved in immune tolerance.””
We broke the huge paradigm of
This is because it has provided a clue to the solution for many people suffering from autoimmune diseases.
I said I broke the paradigm.
In fact, I went all-in on the experiment for 10 years while being treated like a fool.
Since I walked a very difficult path alone, I don’t think I can compare the discoveries and processes of the two.
Of course, the achievements are actually close to discovering it all on my own.