T cells keep us young

Explorers haven’t been able to find the fountain of youth. The magic anti-aging elixir might have been in us all along. T cells can be reprogrammed to fight aging according to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Corina Amor Vegas. White blood cells can attack senescent cells if they have the right set of genes. These cells are thought to be the cause of many diseases later in life. Senescent cells stop replicating. They build up in our bodies as we age, leading to inflammation. Several drugs are currently available that can eliminate these cells, but many must be taken repeatedly over time.

As an alternative, they turned to a drug called CAR, which is a “living” drug. They found that CAR T cells could be manipulated to eliminate senescent cells. The mice lived healthier lives as a result. They had lower body weight and increased physical activity. No tissue damage or toxicity came from the benefits. Las Vegas says:

If we give it to old mice, they will use it again. Young mice age slower if we give it to them. Right now no other therapy can do this. CAR T cells have the greatest longevity of any cell type. One dose at a young age can have long-term effects. It is possible to protect against conditions that occur later in life. Amor Vegas explains. T cells can persist in your body for a long time, which is different from a chemical drug. If you have CAR T cells, you have a chance of getting this one treatment. That is a huge advantage for chronic pathology. If you think about patients who need treatment multiple times per day, then you’re good to go for multiple years.

The FDA approved the use of CAR T cells to treat blood cancers. One of the first scientists to show that CAR T cells can be used for more than just cancer is Amor Vegas. The CAR T cells are being investigated to see if they let mice live longer. Society will be one step closer to the fountain of youth if that is the case.