To our immune system, naked RNA is a sign of a viral or bacterial invasion and must be attacked. But our own cells also have RNA. To ward off trouble, our cells clothe their RNA in sugars, Vijay Rathinam and colleagues at the UConn School of Medicine and Ryan Flynn at Boston Children’s Hospital report in Nature.



Summary

UConn and Boston Children’s researchers discovered that human cells “clothe” their RNA in sugars to prevent immune system attacks. Naked RNA signals viral or bacterial invasion, triggering immune responses. However, our own cells also contain RNA. To avoid being targeted by the immune system, these cells modify their RNA with sugar molecules, effectively disguising it as safe and self. This crucial modification allows cells to distinguish their own RNA from foreign threats, preventing harmful autoimmune reactions. This finding sheds light on a fundamental mechanism for maintaining immune homeostasis.

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