The secret of those over 100 is being solved: A cellular clue to healthy aging

Why some people live decades longer than others and easily pass the age of 100 is one of the topics that the scientific world is most curious about. Researchers at Osaka University in Japan have revealed a common feature of these individuals, known as supercentenarians. According to the study, a specific and rare immune cell reaches extraordinarily high numbers in individuals who have passed the age of 100.

According to the study published in the journal Cell Reports, the number of "CD4 CTLs," which are white blood cells that are part of the body's immune response, increases as humans age. While this ratio usually makes up less than 5 percent of T cells in young individuals, it rises to a median of 17.6 percent in supercentenarians aged 110 and over.

CELL COUNT INCREASES WITH AGE

Within the scope of the study, blood samples from 28 adults divided into three age groups—70-99, 100-109, and 110 and over—were examined. It was determined that CD4 CTL ratios showed a significant increase with age, with the aforementioned ratios being 4 percent, 9.6 percent, and 17.6 percent, respectively.

Although aging is defined as the accumulation of cellular damage over time that leads to a gradual decline in physical and mental capacity, scientists emphasize that this is not a disease in itself and does not mean that the body will inevitably collapse.

Supercentenarians are accepted by the scientific community as a model of healthy aging. The immune, epigenomic, and cardiovascular profiles of these individuals can remain younger than their chronological age. In this way, they can live long lives by avoiding or delaying major age-related diseases such as cancer and heart conditions.

THE ADAPTIVE POWER OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Kosuke Hashimoto, an associate professor at Osaka University and the lead author of the study, stated, "CD4 CTLs are an unusual and relatively rare T cell population," noting that these cells offer important clues as to how the immune system is maintained at extremely advanced ages. According to Hashimoto, the selective proliferation of specific T cells shows that the immune system can continue to successfully adapt to challenges even at advanced ages.

Although experts state that the abundance of these cells does not definitively prove that they directly prevent cancer or extend lifespan, they emphasize that these cells may target aging tissues to provide immune surveillance against tumors and contribute to the body staying healthy. The researchers' next goal will be to examine the behavior of these cells in human tissue in more detail.

News Source: 12punto