Researchers create antibodies that kill old cells and slow down aging
Nobody knows why some people age faster than others or develop diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, fibrosis and type 2 diabetes. This could be due to the efficiency with which each organism responds to the damage that its cells have sustained during their life. This eventually causes them age. Researchers at the Universitat oberta de catalunya and University of Leicester have developed a method that removes old cells from tissue, slowing the aging process.
They have developed an antibody which acts as a smart-bomb, able to detect specific proteins on these senescent or aged cells. The antibody attaches to the cells and releases a drug which removes them, without affecting other cells.
These results, published in Scientific Reports in 2010, open the way to effective treatments that can delay age-related illnesses and the aging process in the long term. The goal is to increase longevity and quality of life for people in this stage.
Source:
https://phys.org/news/2021-10-antibodies-cells-aging.html
