Immunology: Latest Discoveries and Applications to Human Longevity by Reversing Immune Decline скачать в хорошем качестве

Immunology: Latest Discoveries and Applications to Human Longevity by Reversing Immune Decline

Join Professor Katja Simon (Immunology, University of Oxford), a leading expert on how autophagy shapes the immune system, as she explains practical ways to reverse immune ageing and extend healthspan. _____________________________________________________ In this 29-minute case study (14 April 2021), Professor Katja Simon outlines how autophagy—the cell’s recycling and quality-control pathway—maintains immune health across the lifespan. Drawing on 15 years of work at Oxford’s Kennedy Institute, she shows that autophagy preserves haematopoietic stem cells, memory T cells and B cells, supports proper differentiation, and helps prevent immune ageing (immunosenescence) and chronic inflammation. Using knockout models (e.g., ATG genes), Simon demonstrates that loss of autophagy drives aged immune phenotypes: impaired memory responses, accumulation of dysfunctional macrophages, anaemia, and raised cytokines. She then presents mouse and human evidence that spermidine can restore autophagy and improve immune function—enhancing memory T-cell responses, supporting antibody generation, and boosting vaccine-relevant readouts. Mechanistically, she highlights a pathway whereby spermidine supports eIF5A hypusination → TFEB-driven autophagy gene expression. Human data link higher autophagy activity to stronger vaccine responses, with clinical studies planned to test spermidine around COVID-19 and influenza immunisation in older adults. _____________________________________________________ Highlights Include: • What autophagy is and why immune cells depend on it (genome/proteome/organelle quality control; inflammation control) • Three core roles in immunity: maintaining long-lived cells (memory T/B, stem cells), enabling differentiation, and preventing ageing • How immune ageing presents: fewer naïve/memory lymphocytes, dysfunctional macrophages, inflammageing, infection risk, weaker vaccines • Spermidine evidence: rescues aged memory T-cell responses; supports B-cell antibody responses; requires autophagy machinery • Mechanism: spermidine → eIF5A (hypusinated) → TFEB → autophagy/lysosome genes → improved immune function • Human relevance: autophagy declines with age; higher autophagy correlates with better vaccine T-cell responses; trials underway _____________________________________________________ Suggested Chapters: • 00:00 Introduction — autophagy and the immune system • 02:00 Autophagy 101: from autophagosome to lysosome; why ageing cells need it • 05:00 Innate vs adaptive immunity; where autophagy acts (stem, T, B, macrophage) • 08:00 What goes wrong with age: immunosenescence & inflammageing • 11:20 Knockout insights: ATG loss mimics an “aged” immune system • 14:10 Spermidine restores autophagy & memory T-cell responses (mouse) • 17:00 B-cell/antibody responses in ageing and with spermidine 19:20 Mechanism: eIF5A → TFEB → autophagy genes • 22:00 Human data: autophagy levels vs vaccine responses; ex-vivo rescue with spermidine • 25:30 Next steps: trials around COVID-19/flu vaccination; biomarkers & translation • 28:30 Summary & acknowledgements _____________________________________________________ About the Speaker Professor Katja Simon is a Professor of Immunology at the University of Oxford (Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology). Her group pioneered the study of autophagy in the immune system, revealing its essential roles in red blood cells, stem cells, and memory T cells, and laying foundations for reversing immune ageing to extend healthy lifespan. _____________________________________________________ Disclaimer This presentation is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health or supplement regimen. _____________________________________________________ OLP is a community interest company on a mission to amplify the latest breakthroughs in longevity lifestyle science and to guide and advocate for action amongst the interested Oxford community and beyond. 🌐 Connect with Oxford Longevity Project for more on smart ageing: • YouTube: @OxLongevity • Instagram: Oxford Longevity Project • LinkedIn: Oxford Longevity Project • Linkt.ree: linktr.ee/oxfordlongevityproject • Website: oxfordlongevityproject.org • Newsletter Sign Up: Subscribe here _____________________________________________________ The Oxford Longevity Project is sponsored by Oxford Healthspan. 👉 Learn more: oxfordhealthspan.com 💡 If you enjoyed this conversation, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to our channel for more talks on healthy ageing, longevity research, and the future of public health.