A new study published today in Cell Reports, may have found a group of immune cells that increase in number with age but are too worn out to fight off diseases.
Researchers found that a subset of immune cells, called virtual memory T cells, make up around 5% of T cells in young animal models and humans but accumulate significantly with old age and lose the ability to become activated. Importantly, the researchers found that another subset, called true naïve T cells, retain their capacity to mount an immune response but decline in frequency dramatically with increasing age, from 90 per cent to 30 per cent in animal models and humans. These shifts are likely caused by age-related inflammation or "inflamm-ageing".
According the senior researcher, the accumulation of dysfunctional virtual memory T cells, in addition to the loss of true naïve T cells, may explain why older people have reduced immune responses to cancer and vaccines, and why cancer immunotherapy is less successful in the elderly.
"In cancer immunotherapy, a patient's own T cells are stimulated to kill cancer cells and it has been hugely successful for certain forms of cancer. Unfortunately, older patients or people over 65 years of age respond less well than younger ones," the senior author said.
"This may be because of the differences we see in these T cell subsets in older versus younger patients," author said.
"Using these observations, we may be able to tailor cancer immunotherapy specifically for the needs of an older patient's immune system- this is where medicine must head to meet the needs of our ageing society," senior author said.
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(18)30821-0
Why older people respond poorly to cancer treatment
- 1,512 views
- Added
Edited
Latest News
Brain hormone regulate both…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
Blocking long non-coding RN…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
Artificial intelligence and…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
Blood-brain barrier protein…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
Preventing heart attacks an…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
Other Top Stories
New method to track brain blood vessels throughout life
Read more
Flexible nanoelectrodes can provide fine-grained brain stimulation
Read more
Mapping metabolic fluxes in the brain tumor eco system
Read more
Tumor organoids to predict cancer therapy response
Read more
Zinc transporter has built-in self-regulating sensor
Read more
Protocols
Integration of Kupffer cell…
By newseditor
Posted 18 Mar
A mouse DRG genetic toolkit…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
An optogenetic method for t…
By newseditor
Posted 13 Mar
Profiling native pulmonary…
By newseditor
Posted 08 Mar
Neuromuscular organoids mod…
By newseditor
Posted 06 Mar
Publications
Synaptopathy: presynaptic c…
By newseditor
Posted 18 Mar
Allergic Rhinitis
By newseditor
Posted 18 Mar
ALK upregulates POSTN and W…
By newseditor
Posted 18 Mar
PRODH safeguards human naiv…
By newseditor
Posted 18 Mar
Secretin-dependent signals…
By newseditor
Posted 17 Mar
Presentations
Hydrogels in Drug Delivery
By newseditor
Posted 12 Apr
Lipids
By newseditor
Posted 31 Dec
Cell biology of carbohydrat…
By newseditor
Posted 29 Nov
RNA interference (RNAi)
By newseditor
Posted 23 Oct
RNA structure and functions
By newseditor
Posted 19 Oct
Posters
A chemical biology/modular…
By newseditor
Posted 22 Aug
Single-molecule covalent ma…
By newseditor
Posted 04 Jul
ASCO-2020-HEALTH SERVICES R…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-HEAD AND NECK CANCER
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar
ASCO-2020-GENITOURINARY CAN…
By newseditor
Posted 23 Mar