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Scientists have identified a virus that appears to strengthen, not weaken, the immune system, in a study that gives hope for one day boosting our body's defenses as we get older.
Evidence suggests that as we age, our immune system weakens and struggles to fight new infections. So, researchers from the University of Arizona wanted to find a way to boost the immune system in the elderly.
In a study on mice, the team was surprised to discover that a virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV) appeared to strengthen the body's defenses. . Not only that, it seemed to come into action important white blood cells that fight the disease.
More than half of all people carry CMV, which is usually captured at a young age, the authors of the study published in the newspaper . ] PNAS noted. And since there is no cure, carriers are stuck for life.
Scientists hope to find out why cytomegalovirus seems to stimulate the immune system in mice. Getty Images
"CMV does not usually cause any external symptoms, but we still have to live with it every day since it does not has no cure, "Dr. Megan Smithey, an author of the study at the University of Arizona, explained in a statement. "Our immune system will always be busy in the background of this virus."
To investigate the long-term effect of fighting a virus on the body, the researchers infected CMV mice. The team then gave mice with and without Listeria CMV
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"We assumed that this would make the mice more vulnerable to other infections Dr. Smithey said:
Instead, researchers found that the immune systems of mice with CMV were stronger than those who did not have them
. Smithey said, "We were completely surprised, we expected these mice to be less well, but they had a more robust and effective response to the infection."
In addition, mice infected with CMV had white blood cells that play a key role in our immunity, almost as diverse as young mice, and this goes back to the widely held view that T-cell diversity decreases asthe body is aging, suggest the authors.
Dr. Janko Nikolich-Zugich, co-director of the Center on Aging of the University of Arizona and chairman of the Department of Immunobiology of the University of Arizona, said in a release: "Different types of T cells respond to different types of infections The more different T cells you have, the more you will be able to fight infections."
Researchers believe their findings give a different picture : T cells are diverse and the CMV could have the ability to activate them.
"It's like if the CMV emitted a signal that allows to get the best defenses on the ground," he said. Dr. Nikolich-Zugich
"This shows that the ability to generate a good immune response exists in old age. And the CMV, or the body's response to CMV, can help tap this capacity, "adds Dr. Smithey.
The authors believe that their findings suggest that older immune systems are stronger than previously thought.
will examine why CMV seems to have this effect on the body.
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