🧬 Discovery of cells that protect us from aging

Our immune system constantly evolves over the years, and certain cells long considered signs of decline might actually play a beneficial role in aging. Recent research reveals that helper T lymphocytes, these conductors of our immune defenses, transform with age in a way that could help us age better.

The team of Professor Alon Monsonego from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has identified a particular type of helper T cells that gradually accumulate in our body throughout life. These cells, which normally coordinate immune responses, develop surprising abilities as they age. Their discovery was confirmed by studying Japanese supercentenarians, people living beyond 110 years old, in whom these same cells were particularly abundant.


These specialized T cells possess an unexpected property: they can eliminate senescent cells, these aged cells that accumulate in our tissues. Cellular senescence is a natural process where cells stop dividing but remain metabolically active. Normally beneficial when regulated, these cells become problematic when they accumulate too much, causing inflammation and tissue damage.

An experiment on mice demonstrated the crucial importance of these T cells. When researchers reduced their concentration in the rodents, they aged faster and saw their lifespan decrease. This observation suggests that these lymphocytes play a protective role in maintaining balance in the aging organism. Their presence appears essential for eliminating senescent cells before they become harmful.

Professor Monsonego challenges the widespread idea that we need to rejuvenate the immune system to age better. According to his work, the goal is not to have an overactive immune system like that of a young adult, but rather a system adapted to each stage of life. This perspective opens new approaches for early interventions, potentially allowing detection of aging imbalances as early as one's thirties.

These discoveries could lead to diagnostic and therapeutic applications for age-related diseases and aging disorders. The research, published in Nature Aging, was conducted in collaboration with Professor Valery Krizhanovsky from the Weizmann Institute of Science and supported by the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology as well as private foundations.

Senescent cells: friends or enemies?

Senescent cells are cells that have stopped dividing but remain metabolically active. This phenomenon, called cellular senescence, is part of the natural aging process and initially serves as a protective mechanism against cancer by preventing the division of damaged cells.

Over time, these cells accumulate in our tissues and begin to secrete pro-inflammatory substances. This 'senescence-associated secretion' can damage neighboring cells and contribute to the development of many age-related diseases, such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, and certain neurodegenerative disorders.

The body has natural mechanisms to eliminate these senescent cells, but this capacity decreases with age. Recent research shows that certain specialized T lymphocytes take over this cleaning function, which could explain why some people age better than others.

Understanding how to optimize this natural elimination opens the way to new therapeutic approaches for maintaining health during aging, without necessarily seeking to rejuvenate the entire organism.

Biological age versus chronological age

Chronological age simply corresponds to the number of years elapsed since birth, while biological age reflects the actual state of our body and its level of aging. These two ages can differ considerably from one person to another, sometimes with gaps of several decades.

Biological age is determined by various markers, including the state of telomeres (the ends of chromosomes), epigenetic modifications, and now, according to new research, by the composition and activity of certain immune cells. These markers allow assessment of the rate at which our body is actually aging.

Early detection of accelerated aging could allow targeted interventions to restore balance. Researchers envision tracking these markers as early as the thirties, a period when the first signs of cellular aging often begin, well before the appearance of clinical symptoms.

This personalized approach to aging represents a paradigm shift in preventive medicine, where the goal is no longer just to treat diseases, but to maintain optimal aging adapted to each individual.