Newly discovered inflammatory cell signaling could open the door to autoimmune disease treatments

Our understanding of how cells interact with each other has been driven for decades by the central concept of receptor-mediated signal transduction. Now, researchers from Boston Children's Hospital are reporting the discovery of a new, receptor-free means of signal transduction.

This discovery not only suggests alternative pathways for cell-to-cell communication but also identifies a potentially more effective therapeutic target for treating autoimmune diseases. Their results are published in Nature.

“The discovery of this receptor-free signal transduction underscores the value of exploratory science as a means to expand the lexicon of life,” said Jonathan Kagan, Ph.D., senior author and director of basic research and Shwachman Chair in Gastroenterology at Boston Children’s.

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