People who live past 110 have an unusual abundance of killer immune cells
Researchers have identified that supercentenarians possess an unusually high concentration of CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which help the immune system adapt to new threats. This suggests that the immune system continues to evolve and adapt even in extreme old age.
Why it matters
Understanding how these immune cells function could lead to breakthroughs in healthy aging and treatments for age-related immune decline.
People who live to exceptionally old ages may retain an immune system that continues adapting to new threats. Researchers have found that supercentenarians, people who reach age 110 or older, carry unusually high levels of specialized immune cells called CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD4 CTLs).
These cells have previously been shown to kill tumor cells in certain cancers. During illness, they can also reproduce rapidly through a process called clonal expansion, helping the immune system respond to infection. New research published August 19 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports suggests that this same type of immune activity may be associated with healthy aging in people who live beyond 110.
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