A team of investigators found out why older adults are more vulnerable to serious forms of flu. The culprit is a protein called Apod, which increases with age and interferes with the body’s ability to combat infections.
In a new one, published last week in PNASa team of investigators found that individuals elderly produce much higher levels of a glycosylated protein called Apolipoprotein D (etc)which is involved in lipid metabolism and inflammation
This protein damages pulmonary tissue and weakens immunity defenses, leading to the worst clinical outcomes.
The increase in protein production in the elderly, compared to the younger ones, compromises the body’s ability to resist viral infectionsleading to an aggravation of the disease.
Scientists have found this way because older people tend to suffer more seriously from the fluand can now use these conclusions to mitigate this risk.
By identifying the apod as the main factor involved, scientists now point to a new therapeutic target promising that may protect elderly patients from potentially fatal influenza cases and significantly reduce deaths associated with the disease.
The team demonstrated that the markedly high production of Apod with aging, especially in the lung, causes extensive damage to tissues during infection and reduces the protective response of type I interfere against viruses.
“Aging is one of the main risk factors for influenza -related deaths. In addition, The world population is aging at an unprecedented rhythm in human history, which raises huge challenges for health systems and the economy, ”he says Kin-Chow Changresearcher at the University of Nottingham and study co -author, quoted by.
Interestingly, the researchers also found that a dose of flu viruses that would be Normally lethal in mice without ancodal (Apod-/-) resulted, after all, in a greater survivalin a lower viral load in the lungs and less pulmonary damage.
These improvements were associated with a reduction in mythophagy and increased type I interferon production (IFN), explains.
“Apod-/— presented a reduction in mythophagia and were protected against an IAV infection that would otherwise would be lethal,” say the study authors.
“These animals showed a lower mortality, lower weight loss Body, reduced viral load in the lungs and less pulmonary damage, all associated with a recovery of type I IFN response, ”they add.
The team also showed that the Use of Senolithic Drug ABT-263 to eliminate senescent cells in the aged mouse lungs has reduced the levels of apod and attenuated the pulmonary damage provoked by flu infection.
Scientists therefore suggest that Apod could be a promising therapeutic target to protect against serious flu virus infections in elderly people, something that could have a significant impact on reduction of morbidity and mortality in the aging population.
“There is now a promising opportunity for gravity From the disease caused by the flu virus in the elderly through the therapeutic blockade of the Apod, ”the investigators conclude.
