Autophagy of naïve CD4(+) T cells in aging - the role of body adiposity and physical fitness

T-cell senescence: Unlocking the tumor immune "Dark Box" - A multidimensional analysis from mechanism to tumor immunotherapeutic intervention

Immunosenescence is the dysfunction of the immune system that occurs with age, a process that is complex and characterized by several features, of which T-cell senescence is one of the key manifestations. In the tumor microenvironment, senescent T cells lead to the inability of tumor cells to be effectively eliminated, triggering immunosuppression, which in turn affects the efficacy of immunotherapy. This is a strong indication that T-cell senescence significantly weakens the immune function of the body, making individuals, especially elderly patients with cancer, more vulnerable to cancer attacks. Despite the many challenges, T-cell senescence is important as a potential therapeutic target. This review provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of T-cell senescence and its research advances in patients with cancer, especially in older adults, and systematically analyzes potential intervention strategies, including molecular mechanism-based interventions, the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, and CAR-T cell therapy. It is hoped that this will establish a theoretical framework for T-cell senescence in the field of tumor immunology and provide a scientific and prospective reference basis for subsequent in-depth research and clinical practice on senescent T cells.

Advancing Alzheimer's Disease Modelling by Developing a Refined Biomimetic Brain Microenvironment for Facilitating High-Throughput Screening of Pharmacological Treatment Strategies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a significant worldwide health challenge, requiring novel approaches for improved models and treatment development. This comprehensive review emphasises the systematic development and improvement of a biomimetic brain environment to address the shortcomings of existing AD models and enhance the efficiency of screening potential drug treatments. We identify drawbacks in traditional models and emphasise the necessity for more physiologically accurate systems through an in-depth analysis of current literature. This review aims to study the development of an advanced AD model that accurately replicates key AD pathophysiological aspects using cutting-edge biomaterials and microenvironment design. Incorporating biomolecular elements like Tau proteins and beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques improve the accuracy of illustrating disease mechanisms. The expected results involve creating a solid foundation for high-throughput screening with enhanced scalability, translational significance, and the possibility of speeding up drug discovery. Thus, this review fills the gaps in AD modelling and shows potential for creating precise and efficient drug treatments for AD.

Impaired Angiogenesis and Th1/Th17 Polarization: A Possible Explanation for the Decreased Incidence of Rosacea in the Aged

BACKGROUND

Rosacea is a common inflammatory skin disorder characterized by frequent facial flushing, erythema, telangiectasia, and papules, with a higher incidence observed in individuals aged 30-50 years and a tendency to decrease in the elderly. This age-related decline in incidence drew our attention to further explore the relationship between rosacea pathogenesis and aging.

METHODS

We analyzed the incidence of rosacea across 8340 individuals without systemic diseases. The effects of LL37-induced rosacea-like erythema and inflammation were evaluated in both young and aged mice. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to assess microvessel density, whereas the expression levels of angiogenesis-related factors, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor α (VEGFα), were quantified. Additionally, immune responses were assessed at both the cellular and systemic levels.

RESULTS

Aged mice displayed milder LL37-induced rosacea-like erythema and inflammation compared to their young counterparts. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed a decrease in microvessel density in rosacea models of the aged group. The expression of angiogenesis-related factors, including MMPs and VEGFα, was decreased in aged mice compared to young mice, indicating a reduced responsiveness to LL37 stimulation. Furthermore, we found that suppressed Th1- and Th17-polarized immune responses, one of the major pathogenic mechanisms of rosacea, were reduced in aged mice in response to LL37 stimulation at both cellular and systemic levels.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that impaired angiogenesis and attenuated Th1/Th17 immune responses underlie the age-related decline in rosacea incidence.

Prevalence of lymphopenia in the American population: Insights from demographic, BMI, and lifestyle factors

OBJECTIVE

To determine the difference in the prevalence of lymphopenia in the American population according to demographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI) and living habits.

METHODS

A total of 33,365 participants aged over 1 were included in the 2009-2018 National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES). All analyses used weighted samples and considered the layering and clustering of the design.

RESULTS

Using white participants as a reference, the prevalence of lymphopenia in Mexican-American participants was significantly lower than that of white participants (P = 0.018). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of lymphopenia between black participants (P = 0.376) and white participants. The prevalence of lymphopenia was 1.81% (95%CI, 1.53%-2.10%) for white participants, 1.08% (95%CI, 0.78%-1.39%) for black participants, and 0.42% (95%CI, 0.17%-0.68%) for Mexican-American participants. The prevalence of lymphopenia increases with age, reaching a peak of 6.84% among elderly participants aged 75 and above. In terms of the gender difference, the prevalence of lymphopenia in men is significantly higher than that in women (P<0.001). Individuals who smoke (P<0.001), consume alcohol (P = 0.032), engage in regular exercise (P = 0.031), have sleep disorders (P<0.001) and those classified as having an unhealthy weight (P<0.001) had a higher average lymphocyte count. The prevalence of lymphopenia in participants with sleep disorders is significantly higher than those without sleep disorders (P = 0.014). However, no significant differences were observed among the classification variables of smoking, drinking, exercise, and BMI.

CONCLUSION

In the diagnosis and treatment of lymphopenia, clinicians should consider the influence of factors such as race, gender, age, sleep disorders, and other unhealthy lifestyle habits to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, thereby reducing the high mortality risk associated with lymphopenia. Consequently, we propose a novel perspective that the diagnosis and treatment of lymphopenia should be tailored to the lymphocyte levels of specific subpopulations, rather than applying a generalized approach.

Benefit delayed immunosenescence by regulating CD4+T cells: A promising therapeutic target for aging-related diseases

CD4+T cells play a notable role in immune protection at different stages of life. During aging, the interaction between the body's internal and external environment and CD4+T cells results in a series of changes in the CD4+T cells pool making it involved in immunosenescence. Many studies have extensively examined the subsets and functionality of CD4+T cells within the immune system, highlighted their pivotal role in disease pathogenesis, progression, and therapeutic interventions. However, the underlying mechanism of CD4+T cells senescence and its intricate association with diseases remains to be elucidated and comprehensively understood. By summarizing the immunosenescent progress and network of CD4+T cell subsets, we reveal the crucial role of CD4+T cells in the occurrence and development of age-related diseases. Furthermore, we provide new insights and theoretical foundations for diseases targeting CD4+T cell subsets aging as a treatment focus, offering novel approaches for therapy, especially in infections, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and other diseases in the elderly.

Adipose tissue senescence: Biological changes, hallmarks and therapeutic approaches

Adipose tissue (AT), the largest energy storage reservoir and endocrine organ, plays a crucial role in regulating systemic energy metabolism. As one of the most vulnerable tissues during aging, the plasticity of AT is impaired. With age, AT undergoes redistribution, characterized by expansion of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and reduction of peripheral subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). Additionally, age-related changes in AT include reduced adipogenesis of white adipocytes, decreased proliferation and differentiation capacity of mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs), diminished thermogenic capacity in brown/beige adipocytes, and dysregulation of immune cells. Specific and sensitive hallmarks enable the monitoring and evaluation of the biological changes associated with aging. In this study, we have innovatively proposed seven characteristic hallmarks of AT senescence, including telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, disabled macroautophagy, cellular senescence, and chronic inflammation, which are intricately interconnected and mutually regulated. Finally, we discussed anti-aging strategies targeting AT, offering insights into mitigating or delaying metabolic disturbances caused by AT senescence.

Causal role of immune cells in lung cancer subtypes: Mendelian randomization study

Lung cancer, characterized by its high incidence and mortality rates, is a challenging malignancy to treat. Immunotherapy has emerged as a crucial treatment modality, yet its effectiveness varies significantly among patients due to the diverse immune microenvironment involved. Our study aims to analyze the similarities and differences in immune cell profiles across different subtypes of lung cancer. We employed a comprehensive two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to establish causal connections between immune cells and lung cancer. We examined differential expression of 731 immune cell types and compared their profiles among various lung cancer subtypes. Our analysis revealed that 47 immune cell types exhibited differential expression in lung cancer, with 15 showing a protective effect and 32 having a tumor-promoting effect. Notably, we observed greater similarities in immune cell profile between squamous carcinoma and adenocarcinoma subtypes, while small cell lung cancerHHHH displayed less overlap with the other two types. Specifically, CD4+ naive T cells showed differential expression across all three lung cancer subtypes, whereas three other immune cell types exhibited differential expression exclusively in adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Our findings substantiate a causal link between immune cell dynamics and lung cancer progression. Moreover, our identification of distinct immune cell composition among histological subtypes of lung cancer may serve as a valuable reference for further investigation into immunotherapeutic strategies.

Mediterranean Lifestyle: More Than a Diet, A Way of Living (and Thriving)

Although the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) may appear simple and locally inspired based on the provided definitions, mounting evidence reveals that adopting a dietary pattern aligned with MedDiet principles can yield numerous health benefits. Also, the MedDiet stands as the gold standard in preventive medicine, so it is not a simplistic diet centered around specific ingredients or cooking methods; instead, it emerges from a distinctive way of life (lifestyle) inherent to the Mediterranean region. This lifestyle encapsulates essential components of a balanced diet and life, including frugality and moderation in food consumption, the utilization of seasonal and traditional products, a focus on locally sourced, eco-friendly, and biodiverse items, personal engagement in culinary preparation, the emphasis on conviviality and social activities during meal consumption, regular engagement in physical activity, adequate hydration, and sufficient rest. In this review, we will establish the interconnections and links between the various aspects of the Mediterranean diet, how these pillars reflect the Mediterranean region's distinctive lifestyle, and how each element is a necessary part of the others. Finally, the seamless integration of social involvement, sufficient rest, regular physical exercise, and diet will be explored to provide a holistic view of the Mediterranean lifestyle and its inherent harmony.