Through an international study, scientists at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) have helped to decipher how immune cells find their way around our bodies. The secret? A complex chemical code formed by chemokines--small signalling proteins--and their receptors, called GPCRs, which together direct how and where cells travel.

Thanks to cutting-edge technology developed in Luxembourg--the advanced Interactomics and Biosensor platform--researchers have shown that by manipulating just a few amino acids in these proteins, it is possible to reprogram the trajectory of cells. This opens the door to tailor-made treatments, such as immune cells redirected towards tumours or infected areas, transforming our understanding--and perhaps soon our use--of the immune system in fields such as immunotherapy and regenerative medicine.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see how these short, unstructured protein segments—often overlooked— actually hold the key to highly selective cell communication,” said Dr Andy Chevigné, co-leader of the immuno-pharmacology and interactomics group at the LIH.

“This project showcases how data science, structural biology, and cutting-edge pharmacology can come together to answer one of the most complex questions in immunology: how does a cell know where to go?” added Dr Martyna Szpakowska, co-leader of the immuno-pharmacology and interactomics group at the LIH.

The landmark study, published in the scientific journal “Cell,” was led by researchers from St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin, with key contributions from the LIH. It also benefited from a large number of grants, including the Luxembourg National Research Fund, Cancer Foundation Luxembourg and international organisations such as the National Institutes of Health and Astrazeneca.

This article was originally published in .