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Scientists discover novel cell therapy to reverse aging

July 15, 2020

Researchers in Switzerland have discovered a novel cell therapy that can slow down and even reverse poor immunity and frailty in older individuals
Specific immune cells in abdominal fat have been identified that play a major role in inflammation. Inflammation is a trigger for many age-related diseases
By restoring the balance of immune cells, the scientists were able to reverse age-related degenerative conditions in animal models
The next step is human clinical trials to verify the observations seen in mice

It is well known that the elderly are more susceptible to disease. Very few people enjoy good health well into their old age. Most of the time, as a person gets older, they become frail and their immune system becomes weak. A weak immune system puts older adults at high risk of contracting infections and succumbing to them. This is evident from the increased vulnerability of older people to the annual waves of influenza and the recent coronavirus outbreak. Additionally, as a person ages, the immune system stops responding to vaccines like before. As a result, older people are a high-risk group for illness and death from infections. Moreover, there is a decline in muscle strength with age, which can result in a poor quality of life. Scientists at the University of Bern and the Inselspital Bern University Hospital in Switzerland have identified a way to slow down the process. They have discovered a novel cell therapy that can prevent frailty and poor immunity in old age, and in some instances, even reverse it. The experiments were conducted in animal models utilizing a new type of cell therapy.

Aging and Abdominal Fat: What is the Connection?

Researchers at the University of Bern’s Institute of Pathology and Department for Biomedical Research have been trying to find ways to preserve good health well into old age. The goal is to maintain vitality in older adults and curtail the rising costs of healthcare in an aging population. For quite some time, scientists have known that chronic inflammation is a trigger for many age-related diseases. A team of researchers led by Dr. Mario Noti and Dr. Alexander Eggel in Bern has proved that specific immune cells found in visceral (abdominal) fat play a critical role in the development of chronic inflammation. The scientists have demonstrated that these cells, known as eosinophils, can be used to reverse the aging process. Eosinophils are immune cells that are mainly found in blood, but also in abdominal fatty tissue in mice and humans. These cells are a part of the body’s innate immune system that fights off foreign bodies like parasites. Eosinophils regulate the inflammatory process but can sometimes overreact and cause respiratory diseases. As people grow older, the eosinophils in abdominal fat decline in number. At the same time, macrophages, which are pro-inflammatory cells, increase with age. This shift in balance in the immune system causes the abdominal fat in older adults to become a source of chronic inflammation, and consequently, many age-associated diseases.

Eosinophil Cell Therapy in Animal Models

The group led by Noti and Eggel conducted further experiments and were able to successfully reverse degenerative changes associated with aging. They accomplished this by restoring the immune balance in abdominal fatty tissue. “We were able to demonstrably show in experimental trials in the mouse model that transfers of eosinophils from young animals to older recipients can suppress inflammation not only in abdominal fat but also throughout the entire body,” said Eggel. Noti added it was remarkable “that the eosinophils that were transferred were able to selectively find their way into fatty tissue. This approach had a rejuvenating effect on the aging organism. After eosinophilic cell therapy, older animals showed an obvious improvement in their levels of endurance and in tests on their grip strength. They were much fitter physically. In addition, the therapy had a rejuvenating effect on immune systems by generating an improved vaccination response in older animals.”

What’s Next?

“Our results clearly show that the aging process and any associated degenerative side effects are more pliable than previously assumed,” explains Noti. The team has verified that the same shifts in abdominal fat immune system occur in humans as observed in animal models. The next step is to conduct clinical trials in humans. “The aim of our research now is to harness this newly gained knowledge for the development of practical therapeutic approaches aimed at maintaining health and vitality in people,” says Eggel.

References: https://innovationorigins.com/aging-processes-are-reversed-via-novel-cell-therapy

Scientists discover novel cell therapy to reverse aging

Aging and Abdominal Fat: What is the Connection?

Eosinophil Cell Therapy in Animal Models

What’s Next?

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