Why in news?
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2025 was awarded to Japanese immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi and American scientists Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell. They were recognised for discovering regulatory T cells and the gene FOXP3, which are crucial for preventing the immune system from attacking the body’s own tissues.
What did they discover?
- Regulatory T cells (Tregs): In the 1990s Shimon Sakaguchi identified a subset of T cells that suppress immune responses. These cells prevent autoimmune reactions and maintain tolerance to self antigens.
- FOXP3 gene: Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell discovered that a mutation in the FOXP3 gene causes a rare autoimmune disease in children. They showed that FOXP3 is a master regulator gene that directs immature T cells to become Tregs.
Why it matters
- Understanding autoimmunity: The discoveries explained why the immune system sometimes attacks healthy tissues, leading to diseases like Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and lupus.
- Therapeutic applications: Clinical trials are underway to expand and infuse Tregs into patients to treat autoimmune diseases and prevent organ rejection after transplants.
- Cancer and beyond: Controlling Treg activity may also enhance cancer immunotherapies. Research on FOXP3 has opened new avenues in reproductive medicine and tissue engineering.