30-year-old inflammation mystery solved as hidden cellular shield discovered
Zebrafish study reveals signaling pathway that attracts immune cells and protects healthy tissue from damage
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have solved a 30-year-old biological mystery, identifying a previously unknown gene that produces an enzyme involved in a pathway that attracts immune cells and protects healthy tissue from inflammatory damage. The findings, published October 7 in Nature, used zebrafish rather than mice to reveal a dual role for the signaling molecule 5-oxoETE, which acts as both an alarm and a shield.