The Işıl Berat Barlan Translational Medicine Research Center at the Department of Pediatric Immunology and Allergy of Marmara University, in collaboration with the St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute in Vienna and the Can Sucak Translational Immunology Research Laboratory, has discovered a disease called "LTβR deficiency" that plays a critical role in the development of lymph nodes and tonsils, key components of the immune system.
This discovery was published in the highly prestigious journal Science Immunology, making a significant impact on the scientific community.
Lymph nodes are the most effective line of defense of our immune system against infections. However, LTβR deficiency leads to the failure of lymph node and tonsil development and causes dysfunction in the spleen, weakening the immune system’s ability to fight infections. As a result, individuals affected by this condition experience severe infections in multiple organs, primarily in the respiratory system. This research demonstrates how genetic disorders affect not only immune cells but also other building blocks that enable immune cells to gather in the right places and function effectively, ultimately compromising the defense system. This situation defines a new mechanism underlying immune system diseases.
Prof. Dr. Safa Barış and his team have conducted important studies on congenital immune defects, collaborating with Prof. Dr. Kaan Boztuğ, Scientific Director and Lead Researcher at the St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Baran Erman, Lead Researcher of the Translational Immunology Research Laboratory. As a result of this collaboration, many previously unknown causes of immune deficiencies have been identified and treated. In recent years, the significant joint work carried out by these teams has made valuable scientific contributions to the medical literature.
This study, shedding light on the development of innovative treatment methods, not only defined the disease but also demonstrated how infection control was achieved through treatment, with clear positive effects observed in the course of the disease.
We congratulate those who contributed to this significant discovery, especially Prof. Dr. Safa Barış, and the valuable scientists of the Department of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Prof. Dr. Ahmet Özen, Prof. Dr. Elif Karakoç-Aydıner, Instructor Sevgi Bilgiç Eltan, and Specialist Dr. Melek Yorğun Altunbaş, and wish them continued success.
