A study conducted at the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine (FM-USP) in Brazil, the results of which are reported in an article published in the journal. Immunity & AgingShows that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes premature aging of the immune system (age-related disorders). This finding may help explain why COPD patients are less responsive to the vaccine and more susceptible to the infectious process.
Patients with COPD were found to exhibit many changes associated with immunosenescence, especially a decrease in CD4.+ + And CD8+ + T cells are an important component of the immune system.
The study included 92 individuals in four groups: COPD patients (21), smokers with no evidence of lung disease (22), healthy elderly people (29), and young adults (20). I participated.After analysis Blood sample From all four groups, for each of these groups, seven markers associated with late differentiation, aging, and depletion of immune system cells were detected, and COPD patients had cells expressing all the markers in question. We conclude that this constitutes premature aging of immunity. system.
COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by progressive airflow obstruction, commonly caused by cigarette smoke and air pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this affects about 64 million people worldwide, affects about 6 million people in Brazil, and smokers or ex-smokers account for 60% of cases. I am.
“Understanding the mechanisms involved in immunosenescence as the population ages is important for several reasons. Knowing how to treat older people who are more vulnerable to cancer and infectious diseases and who are less responsive to vaccines. Will help you find better ways to improve efficiency. This study provides additional information about what happens and possible interventions, “said Gil, the last author of the article. Benard said. Benard is a professor at FM-USP and a researcher at the Institute of Dermatology and Immunodeficiency. This study was supported by FAPESP.
According to Juliana Ruiz Fernandes, the first author of this article, an analysis of blood samples from COPD patients in this study showed that T cells age faster than healthy subjects of the same age. “The phenotype of their T cells looked older than the phenotype of people without chronic inflammatory processes,” she told Agência FAPESP. The study was part of her PhD. Research at FM-USP.
The results of the group of smokers suggested that moderate to heavy smoking did not accelerate immunosenescence when compared to the results of healthy adults. “COPD affected patients more than they were aging and dramatically damaged their immune system,” said her PhD Halyta Nery Carvalho Pinto. Article candidate and second author.
In a 2016 master’s thesis, Fernandez studied the effects of exercise on the immune response of COPD patients and showed that rehabilitation delayed cell senescence in several parameters and increased the contribution of T cells to the immune response. .. Her results suggest that COPD patients have a high proportion of depleted T cells and a diminished functional capacity. “Our recent research has begun to confirm what Cell type It is involved in COPD and aging. “
Three stages
Immunosenescence is defined as a decline in immune system function during aging. It affects both innate and adaptive immunity. It is characterized by a decrease in “naive” T cells that are mature but not yet activated by encountering the antigen, and an increase in “memory” (antigen-experienced) T cells.
Memory T cells go through three stages of development during a person’s life. In the first example, which lasts up to about 10 years of age, a pool of naive cells becomes memory cells in response to stimulation by specific antigens. In the second (known as memory homeostasis), circulating memory T cells reach a plateau and stay there until adulthood. Third, the frequency and function of these cells change after long-term stability, leading to increased susceptibility to infections caused by immunodysregulation as part of human aging and physiological decline.
In this study, this stage of immune system development showed a decrease in the pool of naive cells available to respond to pathogens, and (paradoxically) the majority of these cells were impaired by late differentiation, aging. Found destroyed in COPD patients or more exhausted than healthy elderly and smokers.
“We also found that the immunosenescence and changes seen in COPD patients were most prominent in CD8.+ + T cells can be thought of as “soldiers.” Immune systemOrders by killing the invaders. “
The same researcher is now in another group of volunteers, B cells (immunity) cell Responding to COPD patients (who produce antibodies) and how these patients respond to the COVID-19 vaccine.
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For more information: Juliana Ruiz Fernandes et al, Age-related phenotypic imbalance in TCD4 and TCD8 cell subsets: Comparison of healthy elderly, smokers, COPD patients, and young adults, Immunity & Aging (2022). DOI: 10.1186 / s12979-022-00267-y
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