A recent breakthrough in anti-ageing research has uncovered a potential key to slowing down the ageing process, offering the prospect of a longer and healthier life. Published in Nature Aging, the study conducted by scientists in the USA has revealed that reprogramming white blood cells known as T cells could turn them into powerful ageing-cell-killing machines called CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T cells.
When tested on mice, the treatment resulted in the mice living healthier lives, with lower body weights, improved metabolism and glucose tolerance, and increased physical activity, all without causing any tissue damage or toxicity. According to Corina Amor Vegas, Assistant Prof at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) in the USA and one of the authors of the paper, the treatment has shown rejuvenation in aged mice and slowed ageing in young mice, surpassing the capabilities of any other therapy currently available.
The researchers have labeled this innovative treatment as the ‘living drug’, as the genetically modified CAR T cells actively target and eliminate a group of cells known as ‘senescent cells’. These senescent cells are responsible for various age-related conditions and diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, and their accumulation leads to harmful inflammation. The CAR T cells, however, have demonstrated the potential to remove these cells, thereby slowing the impacts of ageing.
While the treatment has already received approval in the USA for combating blood cancer, this study marks the first time that CAR T cells have been shown to not only slow but also reduce the effects of ageing. Unlike existing drugs that require repeated administration, the effects of CAR T cells are long-lasting, with a single dose at a young age offering lifelong protection.
Amor Vegas emphasized the significant advantage of CAR T cells for chronic pathologies, highlighting the potential for a one-time treatment as opposed to the need for multiple daily administrations. The researchers are now focused on investigating whether these cells not only promote a healthier life but also have the potential to extend lifespan.
This groundbreaking discovery opens up new possibilities in the field of anti-ageing research, offering hope for a future where age-related conditions can be effectively managed and potentially reversed. The study’s findings provide a glimpse into the potential of CAR T cells to revolutionize the approach to ageing and age-related diseases, paving the way for a healthier and extended lifespan.
Source: BBC Science Focus
