Immunity to T cells in elderly
Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute’s (BDI) study has expanded our understanding of molecular pathways controlling T cell function and death and their relationship to the declining T cell immune system in the elderly.
Researchers led by Professor Nicole La Gruta of Monash BDI and Dr. Kylie Quinn, formerly of Monash University BDI but now a Vice-Chancellor’s Research Fellow at RMIT University, have published their findings in Nature Communications. They suggest that the increased metabolic rate of T cells with age is a sign that they are working harder to simply survive.
The findings contradict previous beliefs that an increase in metabolism is indicative of T-cell function. They will have implications for the design of targeted interventions, such as vaccines and immunotherapies, to treat age related immune dysfunction.
Source:
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-06-cell-immunity-elderly.html
