Australian researchers have revealed that killer T cells in older adults are similar to those found in neonates and children, but cannot recognise infected cells. This world-first discovery is significant because it will help researchers develop better vaccines and therapies. The study describing the findings was recently published in the journal Nature Immunology.
Scientists have studied killer T cells, also known as CD8 + T cells, for several years. While they are known to eliminate virus-infected cells, not much is known about their mechanism of functioning.
The study, led by researchers at Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute) in Melbourne and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, also examined how one’s Immunity to influenza viruses is determined by the person’s age.
Why do killer T cells become less effective in older adults?
In a statement released by the Doherty Institute, Dr Caroline van de Sandt, the first author on the paper, said the researchers expected to find that killer T cells in older adults were less effective because they come exhausted or fall asleep. However, this was not what they found. The efficient killer T cells that are found in children and adults are replaced with suboptimal cells in older adults, similar to a Roman soldier being replaced with a killer knife, said Dr van de Sandt.
As a result, the efficiency of killer T cells in older adults decreases.
The gene features of killer T cells found in older adults are similar to those of the killer T cells in newborn babies. However, since they are replaced with suboptimal cells, they have a decreased ability to recognise influenza viruses.
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What is the significance of the study?
According to Professor Katherine Kedzierska from the University of Melbourne, and a senior author on the paper, the significance of the study is that it will help researchers better understand how immunity changes over the lifespan of an individual. This will help scientists develop better vaccines.
Professor Kedzierska explained that if scientists want to boost killer T cells through vaccination, the timing may play an essential role to maintain the optimal killer T cells into old age.
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In this way, better vaccines and therapies tailored to different age groups can be developed.
Associate Professor Fabio Luciani from UNSW, and a co-senior author on the paper, said that the team used new machine learning methods to reconstruct how influenza virus-specific killer T cells develop over the lifespan of a human being.
Killer T cells get stronger and more effective at eliminating infected cells as humans age. However, they disappear in older adults.
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