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Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine - University of Freiburg discover key factor in the development of immune cells / New approaches for the treatment of ALPS

In an autoimmune disease, the immune system not only attacks pathogens, but also the body's own cells. Researchers at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg have now been able to show that defective signaling pathways in the body play a decisive role in the development of immune cells. This opens up new therapeutic approaches for autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS). The study was published on January 12, 2024 in the international journal Science Immunology.

"The findings show how profound the effects of signaling pathway disorders are on the functioning of our immune system and help us to better understand the mechanisms of immune cell development and function," says Marta Rizzi, research group leader at the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the Medical University of Vienna.

Important insights into the development of immune cells

The FAS signaling pathway plays an important role in the regulation of programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis. However, activation of the signaling pathway also influences non-lethal processes such as the maturation of B cells in the human immune system. The study indicates that disturbances in this signaling pathway can lead to problems in the development and function of B cells. "In the next step, we will look for ways in which these findings can help us treat patients," says Rizzi, who is also a member of the Cluster of Excellence Center for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies (CIBSS) at the University of Freiburg.

Original title of the study: "Non-apoptotic FAS signaling controls mTOR activation and extrafollicular maturation in human B cells"
DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adj5948
Link to the study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.adj5948