Research groups such as the University of Tokyo announced that they succeeded in mouse experiments to remove `` senescent cells '' that accumulate with age and are said to be involved in the decline of body functions in the same way as cancer immunotherapy. It is hoped that this will lead to research into the treatment of aging-associated diseases.
The research results were published in the scientific journal "Nature" by a group led by Professor Makoto Nakanishi of the Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo.
Senescent cells are cells that stop dividing as we age and are normally removed by the immune system.
However, it is known that some of them escape immunity and accumulate, and the research group found that about 10% of senescent cells in mice have a protein called "PD-L1," which plays a role in braking immune attacks. We have identified what is seen in cells.
When an antibody that blocks the function of this protein is administered to aged mice, the immune system is activated, the number of senescent cells is reduced to about one-third, and the grip strength is increased by about 1.5 times. This means that improvements have also been confirmed.
This antibody has been put into practical use as a cancer immunotherapy drug "Opdivo" based on the research of Professor Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine four years ago.
The research group believes that the results will lead to research into the treatment of diseases associated with aging, and Professor Nakanishi says, "In the future, we would like to investigate the effects on humans."