A new way to rejuvenate the immune system

Researchers at MIT and the Broad Institute have discovered a new method to rejuvenate the immune system by stimulating the liver to produce signals that typically come from the thymus. By encoding key factors promoting T-cell maturation into mRNA sequences delivered via lipid nanoparticles, the liver can be temporarily programmed to enhance T-cell function. In aged mice, this treatment led to larger and more diverse T-cell populations, resulting in improved responses to vaccination and cancer immunotherapy. If this approach is successful in humans, it could potentially help individuals maintain better health and disease resistance as they age.