Scientists uncover immune system defense that protects healthy cells from inflammation

Scientists have solved a 30-year-old mystery by uncovering a hidden immune system defense that shields healthy cells from inflammation, according to ScienceDaily Health.

The discovery reveals that a chemical signal, known for attracting immune cells to fight infections, also helps prevent these defenses from harming healthy tissue.

Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center used zebrafish instead of mice to identify a previously mysterious enzyme and protective mechanism related to inflammation.

This breakthrough, published in Nature, could lead to new treatments for cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma by enhancing the body's natural defenses against inflammatory damage.

The research builds on a 1992 study from McGill University that investigated the molecule 5-oxoETE, which signals the immune system during infection but whose related enzyme gene had remained unidentified, hindering further study.