Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • NEWS FEATURE

Can autoimmune diseases be cured? Scientists see hope at last

After decades of frustration and failed attempts, scientists might finally be on the cusp of developing therapies to restore immune ‘tolerance’ in conditions such as diabetes, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
By
  1. Cassandra Willyard

    1. Cassandra Willyard is a science journalist in Madison, Wisconsin.

Computer illustration of a dendritic cell and a t-cell interacting

Antigen presenting cells (illustrated, right) can sometimes train T cells (left) not to attack. Credit: Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library

Back in 2001, immunologist Pere Santamaria was exploring a new way to study diabetes. Working in mice, he and his collaborators developed a method that uses iron oxide nanoparticles to track the key immune cells involved in the disorder.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 625, 646-648 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00169-7

References

  1. Mueller, F. et al. Blood 142, 220 (2023).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Tsai, S. et al. Immunity 32, 568–580 (2010).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Solé, P. et al. Cell. Mol. Immunol. 20, 489–511 (2023).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Tremain, A. C. et al. Nature Biomed. Eng. 7, 1142–1155 (2023).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Mackensen, A. Nature Med. 28, 2124–2132 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Ellebrecht, C. T. et al. Science 353, 179–184 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Subjects

Latest on:

Nature Careers

Jobs

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing

Search

Advanced search

Quick links