Gut & MicrobiomeScientists uncover an immune signal that helps shield healthy cells from inflammation
Inflammation can fight infections while damaging healthy tissue, and new research reveals a signal that may help balance these opposing effects. Scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center identified the human gene behind an enzyme that makes and breaks down 5-oxoETE, a fatty molecule that attracts immune cells. Its genetic identity had remained unknown for more than 30 years. Using zebrafish, the team also uncovered a protective role for this signal against inflammatory damage. The discovery could guide research into inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, and cancer, but it does not establish a treatment people can use today. The supplied article is incomplete and does not provide the gene name, detailed experiments, or numerical results. Human benefits, safety, and any effects on healthy aging remain unproven.
