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Scientists have uncovered details regarding an immune response to a virus present in all human tissues, that kicks in in the elderly and eliminates senescent, or aging, cells in the skin. Senescent cells are those that stop dividing but do not die, accumulating in the body over time, fuelling chronic inflammation and contributing to conditions such as cancer and degenerative disorders. Eliminating senescent cells from aging tissues has been found to restore tissue balance in mice, leading to an increased healthy lifespan. When a team of scientists, led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), US, found that the number of senescent cells in samples from old individuals did not increase as the individuals got older, they realised that there is some mechanism kicking in to keep the aging in check. The scientists have described their findings in the journal Cell. Experiments have proved that in the elderly, certain immune cells called killer CD4+ T cells keep senescent cells from ...
According to new research, viral DNA embedded in human genomes from ancient infections acts as antivirals, protecting human cells from certain modern viruses.The paper "Evolution and Antiviral Activity of a Human Protein of Retroviral Origin," published in the journal Science, demonstrates the effect in principle.Previous research has shown that endogenous retroviruses, fragments of ancient viral DNA found in the genomes of mice, chickens, cats, and sheep, provide immunity against modern viruses that originate outside the body by preventing them from entering host cells. Despite the fact that this research was done on human cells in culture, it shows that endogenous retroviruses have an antiviral effect on humans.The study is significant because it could discover a pool of natural antiviral proteins that could lead to treatments without autoimmune side effects. The research suggests the existence of a genome defence system that has yet to be identified but could be quite ...