Compared with a normal mouse (left), a mouse with defective mitochondria in its T cells appears old. By Mitch LeslieT cells are supposed to defend us from pathogens, but a new mouse study suggests they may also speed aging.
Blocking inflammation caused by the cells or boosting their supply of a key metabolic molecule lessened the severity of some aging-related symptoms in rodents, raising the possibility these treatments could benefit older people.The discovery is “a fantastic result directly linking metabolism, inflammation, and aging,” says immunologist Kylie Quinn of RMIT University, Bundoora, in Australia. “They’ve done a really thorough job of making sure it’s the T cells” that are causing the mice to age quickly.Our T cells let us