Scientists discover how immune system kills healthy cells

A new study by experts in Canada has highlighted how immune system kills healthy cells while attacking infections; a discovery they say could change the way in which disease are treated in the future.

Specialists from at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, led by researcher Colin Anderson, worked on previous research that indicated healthy tissue and cells can be killed or damaged when the immune system launches an aggressive attack on infected cells.

The aim of the new study was to discover the mechanisms in the immune system that cause the overkill response - something that the experts say they achieved.

"This opens the opportunity that one might be able to manipulate the immune system response to block collateral damage without blocking the killing of infected cells," Mr Anderson explained.

Specifically, it could be important in the development of clinical treatments in cases where the immune system response needs to be harnessed, such as in the treatment of viral infections, where the damage caused during the immune system attack comprises a major part of the illness.

"In other cases, such as cancer or tumour treatments, one may want to increase the immune system's ability to kill collateral cells, in hopes of killing tumour cells that would otherwise escape during treatment and spread elsewhere in the body," Mr Anderson added.

Another key outcome of the study is the suggestion there are other mechanisms that could improve cancer therapy and make it more effective, while also demonstrating why certain cancer treatments are more successful than others.

The study authors explained that the process the immune system uses to kill an infected or cancerous cell is different to the method that causes collateral damage to neighbouring cells that are not, even though experts have presumed the opposite for many years.

Mr Anderson said the team will continue to research the processes and determine whether it is possible to reduce the level of collateral damage to healthy cells without limiting the attack on infected cells.