Can Present Stem Cell Therapies Improve Vaccine Response in the Elderly?

Mesenchymal stem cell therapies fairly reliably reduce chronic inflammation for some period of time following the transplantation of cells. The cells don't survive long in the patient, and this effect is mediated by the signals they produce while present. Chronic inflammation causes many issues, including a disruption of tissue maintenance and regeneration. It contributes directly to the progression of numerous age-related conditions, including the components of frailty syndrome, but it is an open question as to the degree to which it is required to maintain the current state of those conditions. If inflammation is suppressed for an extended period of time, will there be some improvement in the patient? The company Longeveron has been running trials in older frail people to examine the degree that benefits result from suppression of inflammation via stem cell therapies. Of interest is the latest trial announced here, in which they are looking at vaccine response. It is well known that older people have less functional immune systems, and one of the many consequences is that vaccination, such as against influenza, isn't as effective. It is interesting to speculate on the likely mechanisms by which stem cell induced reductions in inflammation might help: increased delivery of new immune cells due to enhanced native stem cell activity, or perhaps suppression or some degree of removal of malfunctioning immune cells? Longeveron, a biopharmaceutical company that dev...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs