It has been a mystery why immune cells that eliminate viruses and other pathogens attack the own tissues and cells in autoimmune diseases.

The research group of Hisashi Arase (WPI-IFReC/RIMD/CiDER/CAMaD) revealed that autoimmune diseases are caused when T cells recognize abnormal self-antigens called "neoself "as non-self and attack the own tissues. This result significantly changes the basic concepts of conventional immunology and is an extremely important discovery for developing new treatments of autoimmune diseases and for understanding pathological immune responses.
(online publishing in Cell on Sep. 13, 2024 EST)

Contact

Prof. Hisashi Arase

arasebiken.osaka-u.ac.jp

Immunochemistry