A new study by scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research has found something very interesting.
It shows that some gene changes linked to leukemia might also cause the immune system to attack the body, leading to autoimmune diseases. This discovery helps explain why some people get both conditions and could lead to better ways to treat or prevent them.
Leukemia is a kind of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Autoimmune diseases happen when the body’s immune system, which normally fights off germs, starts attacking healthy cells by mistake. Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or aplastic anemia are examples of autoimmune conditions.
Researchers had already noticed that people with leukemia often also develop autoimmune problems. But until now, no one really understood why. This new research gives us some answers.
The study focused on killer T cells. These are immune cells that usually protect the body by killing viruses, cancer cells, and other threats. But scientists found that certain gene mutations can turn these cells into “rogue” cells. Instead of helping the body, they start attacking it.
One important part of the study was a protein called STAT3. This protein helps control how immune cells grow and behave. The researchers used a special gene-editing tool called CRISPR to change the STAT3 gene in mice. They also studied blood from children who have rare autoimmune diseases that they were born with.
What they discovered is that when STAT3 is changed by a mutation, some killer T cells grow too fast and become more aggressive. These rogue T cells also escape the normal safety checks that are supposed to keep them under control. Even a tiny number of these cells—just 1 to 2 out of every 100—can be enough to cause serious autoimmune diseases.
The team also found that two special systems in these cells help them sense stress and send signals. These systems also go wrong when mutations happen, which may help the rogue cells grow and attack the body.
This research is important because it shows how a small genetic change can cause very different health problems—both cancer and autoimmune diseases. It also gives doctors new ideas for treatments.
Some medicines, like JAK inhibitors, already affect the same immune pathways. These drugs are approved in many places, including Australia. Scientists think these treatments might work even better in people with the specific gene changes found in the study.
In the future, doctors might be able to check blood samples for these rogue cells using full genetic testing. This could help them find the problem early and offer more personalized care to patients.
The study was led by Dr. Etienne Masle-Farquhar and published in the journal Immunity. It shows how cancer and autoimmune diseases may have common roots and how a better understanding of rogue immune cells could help save lives.
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