In a recent review published in Nature Aging, researchers explored vaccine-based therapeutics for age-related disorders.
Study: Targeting aging and age-related diseases with vaccines. Image Credit: Ground Picture/Shutterstock.com
Background
Aging is a primary risk factor for chronic illnesses, marked by reduced physiological capabilities. Cell senescence, genomic instability, stem cell fatigue, and mitochondrial failure are characteristics.
Aging also increases the risk of chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer. Healthy habits like calorie control and regular physical exercise help prevent age-related disorders.
However, small-molecule therapies have limits, and vaccines provide a potential technique to target specific antigens to generate immune responses.
About the review
In the present review, researchers present new developments in vaccines using senescent cells to target the etiological agents of aging and related diseases.
Immunology of senolytic vaccines that target aging
Vaccines stimulate the innate immunological system, making it rapidly respond to infection. This reaction activates adaptive immune cells, causing humoral antibodies to manufacture antibodies and cell-mediated immunity to attack infected cells. Vaccinations lead to pathogen-targeted memory cell development to accelerate response to reinfections.
Vaccines targeting microbes, cell populations, or chemicals can prevent and treat disease development. Senolytic vaccines, which target senescent cells, have been demonstrated to reduce arterial plaque development.
These vaccination techniques provide new pathways for managing age-associated disorders, with advantages such as fewer injections, increased patient adherence, cost-effectiveness, and improved targeting efficiency.
Senolytic vaccinations target senescent cells by targeting chemicals on their surfaces, using peptide-based platforms to