<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <p><strong>MUST READ | <a title="The Science Of Health: How Technology Helps Improve Accessibility And Affordability Of India's Rural Healthcare" href="https://ift.tt/NYnFcmQ" target="_self">The Science Of Health: How Technology Helps Improve Accessibility And Affordability Of India's Rural Healthcare</a></strong></p> <h3><span style="color: #843fa1;"><strong>Why do killer T cells become less effective in older adults?</strong></span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result, the efficiency of killer T cells in older adults decreases. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p> <p><strong>MUST READ | <a title="India-Bhutan SAT: How India Is Helping Smaller Nations Like Bhutan With Space Technology" href="https://ift.tt/5oSZDYm" target="_self">India-Bhutan SAT: How India Is Helping Smaller Nations Like Bhutan With Space Technology</a></strong></p> <h3><span style="color: #843fa1;"><strong>What is the significance of the study?</strong></span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p> <p><strong>MUST READ | <a title="Science For Everyone: How Clean, Green And Renewable Energies Are Similar To And Different From Each Other" href="https://ift.tt/UGIwFk8" target="_self">Science For Everyone: How Clean, Green And Renewable Energies Are Similar To And Different From Each Other</a></strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this way, better vaccines and therapies tailored to different age groups can be developed. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Killer T cells get stronger and more effective at eliminating infected cells as humans age. However, they disappear in older adults.</span></p> <p><strong>MUST READ | <a title="Libya, Greece, Spain Are Among 10 Different Regions Affected By Floods In A Short Span. Know How It's Related To Climate Change" href="https://ift.tt/UduhBFv" target="_self">Libya, Greece, Spain Are Among 10 Different Regions Affected By Floods In A Short Span. Know How It's Related To Climate Change</a></strong></p>
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