A team of scientists has shown that a key type of immune cell “self-renews” in humans.
It is an unexpected discovery, as it was previously thought this specific type of “senescent” killer immune cell had reached “end-stage” and would die following one more stint at helping people fight off – or live with – certain infections.
It suggests these cells could play a much bigger part than previously thought in lifetime immune memory, and the finding could also have important implications for vaccine design.
The research, a collaboration between Cardiff University, St George’s, University of London, Imperial College London, and scientists in the USA, is published today in the journal Cell Reports.
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, T-cells – the immune cells that have a crucial role in killing infected cells and protecting us against infection – have been in the spotlight, and it is crucial we continue to learn more about the role they play in long-term immunity, for good or for bad,” said lead author Dr Kristin Ladell, from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine.
“Here, we have clearly shown that a type of T-cell we thought was senescent – that is, aged and deteriorating in function – is in fact self-renewing in humans."
cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/248...
Cell Reports. Research Paper:
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