Aging is a complex process that involves accumulating damage to the cellular machinery of life. Anti-aging researchers hope to understand and address this process so that we can live healthier and longer lives. Part of the aging process is cellular senescence.
Several types of cells in our bodies are constantly being replaced by new cells through cell division throughout our lives. After a certain number of divisions, accumulated damage to the cell’s DNA, its genetic material, causes the cell to stop dividing and become senescent. Senescent cells lose function and secrete harmful substances that cause inflammation.
Their accumulation contributes to age-related diseases such as cancer, and strategies to remove these cells from the body have shown promise as anti-ageing treatments in laboratory animal tests.
In 2024, a team of American biomedical scientists reported that they had discovered a new, effective way to target and eliminate senescent cells. Their strategy involved a type of immune cell called a T cell. T cells travel through the body in the bloodstream and destroy invading microbes and cancer cells. The researchers found a way to genetically engineer T cells to recognize, attack, and destroy senescent cells.
When the researchers administered these modified cells to mice, the mice lived healthier lives. They lost weight, improved their metabolism, and increased their physical activity. When they gave the treatment to older mice, they appeared healthier. When they gave the treatment to younger mice, they became more resistant to metabolic problems. There’s still a lot of work to be done to develop this treatment for humans. If it happens, it will be world-changing.
