One protein in immune cells determines their fate: whether they become “soldiers” who will die a brave death when faced with infection, or “veterans” responsible for long-term protection.

Researchers from University of Missouri School of Medicine studied the role of this protein in experiments on mice, the results of which were shared in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.

Structural protein POSH plays a key role in activating T cells of the immune system and directing them to infected target cells. During an immune response, T cells must mature and specialize to fight a specific infection. However, without the POSH protein, these cells usually do not survive long enough to complete this process.

“Our models demonstrate that mice with the POSH gene deleted are unable to effectively resist infections. over, when fighting tumor growth, immune cells cannot replenish their numbers at the same rate as cancer cells,” noted immunologist Mark Daniels, one of the authors of the study.

Because the cells do not persist long enough, they do not develop into long-lived memory cells that “remember” previous infections. When the body is reinfected, the memory cell recognizes the infection and launches a powerful counterattack, often destroying the pathogen before the person develops any symptoms.

“Without POSH, the immune system retains the ability to make an initial response, but, as our experiments have shown, it loses the ability to form long-term immunity and protection. Targeting therapy to this protein could help patients with autoimmune diseases or blood disorders,” Daniels explained.

It may also benefit patients with T-cell related cancer diagnoses, such as leukemia or lymphoma. Targeting the POSH protein in cancer cells may help reduce disease, although the effectiveness will depend on the type of cancer and how it occurs.

“We have already conducted a number of studies to determine the types of cancers that are vulnerable to POSH removal, but much more research is required to accurately identify the specific types of cancer for which this method may be effective,” the specialist concluded.

Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for discovering how the immune system works

Subscribe and read “Science” in Telegram