Training immune cells not to attack their fellow cells

T cells (red in this scanning electron microscope image) attack the body’s own cells in autoimmune diseases, but research has found that they can be retrained to stop these attacks. — NIAID

The body’s immune system can be re-wired to prevent it from recognising its own proteins, which, when attacked by the body, can cause autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), a significant new study by British scientists has found.

Autoimmune diseases are caused when the immune system loses its normal focus on fighting infections or disease, and instead begins to attack otherwise healthy cells within the body.