Representative Image | Pic: Express
The body's immune cells naturally fight off viral and bacterial microbes and other invaders, but they can also be reprogrammed or 'trained' to respond even more aggressively and potently to such threats, report the University of California, Los Angeles scientists who have discovered the fundamental rule underlying this process in a particular class of cells.
Through the study published in the journal Science, the researchers identified a key molecular mechanism within macrophages, infection-fighting cells of the innate immune system, that determines whether and how well the cells can be trained. Their findings could help pave the way for future targeted strategies to enhance the function of the immune system. "Like a soldier or an athlete, innate immune cells can be trained by past experiences to become better at fighting infections," said lead author Quen Cheng, an assistant clinical professor of infectious diseases at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.