2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Shimon Sakaguchi

Shimon Sakaguchi revealed a fundamental principle in immune regulation by identifying a distinct population of T cells he named “regulatory T cells.” These cells play a crucial role in protecting the body from autoimmune diseases and excessive inflammation by controlling the activity of other immune cells, particularly self-reactive T cells. Self-reactive T cells have the potential to cause significant damage by triggering autoimmune disorders.

The contributions of Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell were instrumental in pinpointing the molecular driver behind these regulatory T cells (Treg cells) through their discovery of the FOXP3 gene. Building on this, Sakaguchi and others demonstrated that FOXP3 is the key transcription factor responsible for the differentiation of regulatory T cells. Beyond preventing autoimmunity, regulatory T cells also limit inflammation that can cause tissue damage during infections or inflammatory responses. Given the pivotal role of regulatory T cells across diverse disease contexts, this year’s Nobel Prize is highly-deserved and already paved the way for innovative treatment approaches in autoimmunity, cancer and transplantation.

LIT is actively advancing innovative Treg-based therapy approaches. The LIT has initiated clinical trials using Treg cells to treat graft-versus-host disease, a severe and potentially life-threatening complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Additionally, LIT researchers engineerTreg cells for the treatment of autoimmune and acute inflammatory diseases.