Australian researchers have found vitamin B helps trigger the body’s immune system to fight infections.
The findings, published in the journal Nature, open the door to potential new treatments or even new vaccines to combat infections like tuberculosis, which is becoming resistant to many antibiotics.
The study, jointly led by the University of Melbourne and Monash University, identified specialized immune system cells that recognize byproducts of vitamin B that are unique to bacteria and yeast, and prompt the body to fight infection.
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"Humans are unable to make vitamin B and obtain it mostly from diet. Because bacteria can synthesize vitamin B, our immune system uses this as a point of difference to recognize infection," explained lead researcher Dr. Lars Kjer-Nielsen from the University of Melbourne.
James McCluskey of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne said the discovery paves the way for new vaccines and other therapies.
"This is a major breakthrough in which Australian researchers have beaten many strong research teams around the world, becoming the first to unlock the mystery of what drives a key component of our immune system," he said.