Anti-ageing treatment for T cells
The discovery of agents that will delay ageing or senescence in cells is an attractive lure. Not only will it be very profitable but it will revolutionise the concept of being elderly and frail. Ageing will hopefully be free of diseases that are the result of senescing and malfunctioning cells. The EU-funded project T-CIA concentrated its efforts on ageing in T cells. These cells are highly important in the human immune system and become specific for a molecular target or antigen once they have been exposed to the invader. They therefore form part of the adaptive system of immunity and are important in dealing with cancer cells and viruses. The project team from Nottingham Trent University conducted trials on various treatment strategies for ageing or senescence in T cells that were cultured in vitro. Variables or indicators of senescence measured were DNA damage levels, lifespan in culture and ability to divide or proliferate. Reduced oxygen tension and the addition of an antioxidant, superoxide dismutase induced the same effects on the cultured cells. In both cases, ability to proliferate and lifespan were reduced. Furthermore, DNA damage was reduced in both trials. It has been speculated that these data are as a result of an effect of an overall change in redox balance in the cell. This may affect reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated cell pathways. One of these is the MAPK pathway that is responsible for the activation of cell division. Project partners planned further research based on these findings to verify these results. The ultimate aim is to offer therapies for ageing at a cellular level.