New research by scientists at the Champalimaud Foundation has revealed a surprising new role for the immune system. Their study in mice found that during periods of low energy— such as intermittent fasting—ILC2 immune cells step in to regulate blood sugar levels, acting as a “postman’ in a previously unknown three-way conversation between the nervous, immune and endocrine systems. The findings could point to new strategies for managing disorders such as diabetes, obesity and cancer.
“For decades, immunology has been dominated by a focus on immunity and infection,” said Henrique Veiga-Fernandes, PhD, head of the Immunophysiology Lab at the Champalimaud Foundation. “But we’re starting to realize the immune system does a lot more than that.”
Veiga-Fernandes and colleagues reported on their…