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In an experimental study, scientists have shown that cytomegalovirus (CMV) actually strengthens the immune system rather than weakening the body's defenses. Similar to the herpes virus, CMV has the power to stay dormant and can therefore constantly activate the body's defenses – which is more resistant to new infections.
The study was published in PNAs (19459009) and had as one of the authors Janko Nikolich-Zugich, co-director of the Center for Aging at the University of L & # 39; Arizona, United States.
Scientists believe that the discovery will allow the creation of a vaccine to protect the elderly against infections – that the immune system tends to become more debilitated with age. For this reason, for example, people over 60 years old have priority to get vaccinated against the flu.
What researchers have discovered now is that this weakness can be changed. The immune system has the potential to get back into alert status if it is properly activated.
What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
| Coming from the same group as the herpes virus, CMV is latent in the body and, in most cases , does not cause symptoms |
| and pain, sore throat and excessive tiredness. There is no cure. |
| In pregnancy, the infection can trigger serious cases in fetuses (microcephaly, mental retardation, paralysis and convulsions) |
Virus helps the system to recruit defense cells
To arrive at this conclusion on CMV, the group of Nikolich – Zugich did an experiment on mice. Some of the guinea pigs were infected with cytomegalovirus – and some of it was not.
Among the findings, scientists observed that CMV mice recruited T cells more readily to fight infections that were exposed during the study.
"We were completely disconcerted, we expected that these mice would deteriorate after exposure to infections," says Megan Smithey, researcher at the University of Arizona in a note [19659013] "But they had a more effective response." Researcher Janko Nikolich-Zugich, who coordinated the study (Photo: UA College of Medicine – Tucson) "Researcher Janko Nikolich-Zugich, who coordinated the study (Photo: UA College of Medicine – Tucson) "src =" data: image / jpeg; base64 / 9d / 4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD / 2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsKCwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT / 2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT / wgARCAARABkDASIAAhEBAxEB / 8QAGAAAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYHAwX / xAAXAQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwQB / 9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAGc0fR5jpibG3w9w2ONhGxK5QFn / 8QAHxAAAgICAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwUABAEGFAITFTI0 / 9oACAEBAAEFAqJeliSivwCXKdTLLyyyaMNdw7FRUUGyL1 vB754hhflte0 // xAAaEQACAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQ IxEBIh / 9oACAEDAQE / AdmotRs47wz / xAAaEQACAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgASMRAR / 9oACAECAQE / Aar7Y5FIHEyf / 8QAKxAAAgECAgYLAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQREhMhIlGR0RAUIzEzNUFxcrLh / 9oACAEBAAY / AgslwJJmGzkTBVNCQ3eBk2BpsCS24V2zsYrVl0j5dYblXmCcPyg3V4luXUnvx2D6VBbMQjrrhlLa1OO + + nW3ubO0mLZmZWGL149vxXnS 1QfGT79P / 8QAHRABAAICAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAREhADEQUbFx8f / aAAgBAQABPyHZjiLWFsB9rISVSztUlfYTKENvYLMpsQaz9vgtLUuEhE6dM4eGnomMG8jT5TRNMvbPHnzcBbeP / 9oADAMBAAIAAwAAABCfF / 8A / 8QAHREAAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERUTEhQWGhsf / aAAgBAwEBPxBqVrw + O / BLdqFU2UZH / 8QAHBEAAQQDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQARIVEQMXGx / 9oACAECAQE / EHghD1OMgub5aOzg / 8QAHRABAQEBAAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAREhABAxQVHwof / aAAgBAQABPxC / L8gUQsFQZ8W3lQTRIVCDUmgbqIcmDcKAyLqVRMUviLo9Wqm6qxebqEDlLQ9jDBUSRuOctwdEIt / The researcher Janko Nikolich-Zugich, who coordinated the study (photo: UA College of Medicine – Tucson) "title =" Researcher Janko Nikolich-Zugich, who coordinated the study on the study. study (Photo: UA College of Medicine – Tucson) "data-src =" https://s2.glbimg.com/zRHXzQhWni5AVStuYd9iH _B7ZVY = / 0x0: 400×267 / 984×0 / intelligent / filters: strip_icc () / i.s3. The researchers thought that because the CMV was not healing, it was consuming resources from the body – which was constantly weakened by the presence of the virus. viruses. With the study in mice, however, the opposite has been observed: the immune system is strengthened.
"We badumed that the virus would make rats more vulnerable to other infections because CMV consumed resources and kept the immune system busy," Smithey said.
The researchers plan to continue their studies on CMV to see exactly how the CMV virus works in the immune system.
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