The breakthrough could open avenues for new treatments for food allergies, sensitivities, and autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease
Israeli scientists have uncovered a crucial network of immune cells that enables the human body to safely tolerate food without triggering harmful immune attacks.
The discovery, led by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS), provides new insights into oral tolerance—the body’s remarkable ability to recognize food as harmless and prevent unnecessary immune reactions, according to a report by Xinhua news agency.
This vital immune system function prevents everyday foods from causing inflammation, while still allowing the immune system to defend against infections.
The breakthrough could open avenues for new treatments for food allergies, sensitivities, and autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease. By understanding how oral tolerance works, scientists aim to correct malfunctions that cause the immune system to mistakenly attack food.
“If an aggressor fires across the border, he will be swiftly neutralized, peace accords notwithstanding. The immune system operates on a similar principle,” explained Dr. Ranit Kedmi from Weizmann’s Systems Immunology Department.
Previously, scientists believed that dendritic cells, a type of immune cell, were responsible for maintaining oral tolerance. However, animal studies showed that even without these cells, the body continued to tolerate food.
Now, WIS researchers, in a study preprinted by the journal Nature, have identified a different set of immune cells—ROR-gamma-t cells—as the primary agents driving oral tolerance.
These rare cells initiate a complex chain reaction involving four distinct cell types, ultimately preventing CD8 cells (immune attack cells) from reacting against food proteins. When this system malfunctions, it can lead to food allergies, sensitivities, or autoimmune diseases where the body erroneously targets food proteins like gluten.
The researchers also discovered that during infections, the immune system can temporarily override this tolerance to combat microbes before restoring normal tolerance mechanisms.
“Apparently, there is much more division of labor in the immune system than previously appreciated,” Kedmi said. “It’s not that dendritic cells always decide whether or not to attack foreign substances. Rather, completely different players—specific, rare cells—are dedicated to launching a mechanism that ensures we can consume food safely.”
This finding could significantly advance treatments to prevent or cure immune-related food disorders.
