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Technion study uncovers mechanism of immune system aging and proposes strategy to rejuvenate immune response

Researchers from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology’s Faculty of Biology have uncovered a unique mechanism driving immune system decline with age and proposed a way to counter it. The study, published in Nature Aging and led by Assistant Professor Noga Ron-Harel and doctoral student David Ezuz, reveals that the spleen’s aging plays a central role in weakening immune function.

The team found that as the spleen ages, it accumulates iron deposits and toxic by-products, creating an oxidative environment that damages T cells — key immune cells responsible for fighting infections and cancer. In response, T cells reduce their iron uptake to protect themselves, but this adaptation inadvertently limits their ability to activate and mount an immune response.

The researchers demonstrated that targeted iron supplementation during T-cell activation can restore immune responsiveness in older mice, significantly improving their reaction to vaccination.

The findings provide a new framework for understanding immune aging and suggest a promising strategy to rejuvenate immune function in older individuals.

The research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the Horizon 2020 program.