{"id":23461,"date":"2025-05-01T21:04:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T21:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=23461"},"modified":"2025-05-01T21:05:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T21:05:10","slug":"new-study-uncovers-key-to-preserving-immune-tissue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/new-study-uncovers-key-to-preserving-immune-tissue\/","title":{"rendered":"New Study Uncovers Key to Preserving Immune Tissue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">UT Health San Antonio scientists have identified a key hormone that may help maintain thymus function as we age, offering hope for stronger immune systems in older adults.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-b0ffac9c wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) have made a groundbreaking discovery that could enhance immune system function in older adults. Their study, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s43587-024-00801-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> in the February issue of Nature Aging, reveals that fibroblast growth factor FGF21, a peptide hormone, plays a vital role in preserving thymic tissue, crucial for fighting infections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The thymus, a small gland under the breastbone, is essential for training T-cells, the body\u2019s defenders against infections. However, this gland diminishes in size and function with age, leading to a weakened immune system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By increasing levels of FGF21 in mouse models, the researchers were able to maintain both the size and efficacy of the thymus, promoting a more diverse development of T-cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;This research could be pivotal in developing a way to preserve strong immune responses across a lifetime,\u201d Ann Griffith, an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at UT Health San Antonio, said in a news release. \u201cThis is an exciting step forward in finding targets that can durably restore thymic function in older people and improve their immune response.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study, spearheaded by Griffith, builds on previous research that explores the genetic changes occurring during thymic regeneration. Previous findings highlighted the role of FGF21 in thymic growth, and Griffith\u2019s team further elucidated its effect on the gland&#8217;s cellular morphology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFGF21 can signal directly to the stromal cells inside the thymus and may also be signaling to other cells in a way that impacts the morphology,\u201d Griffith added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As we age, the thymus\u2019 ability to regenerate and support young T-cells declines, making older adults more prone to infections and cancer recurrence. While increasing FGF21 levels appears promising in mitigating thymic atrophy, it does not entirely prevent it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless, FGF21 showed potential in reducing inflammation and autoimmunity, which escalate as thymic function decreases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPart of the T-cells\u2019 education in this \u2018school\u2019 is to make sure that if they are recognizing our own tissues, we remove these cells,\u201d added Griffith. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen this function diminish with age, and this protein was able to mitigate that to potentially allow for better tolerance in T-cells that come out of the thymus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uthscsa.edu\/breakthrough-study-reveals-key-to-preserving-immune-tissue-that-fights-infections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) have made a groundbreaking discovery that could enhance immune system function in older adults. Their study, published in the February issue of Nature Aging, reveals that fibroblast growth factor FGF21, a peptide hormone, plays a vital role in preserving [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[326],"class_list":["post-23461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","tag-ut-san-antonio"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) have made a groundbreaking discovery that could enhance immune system function in older adults. Their study, published in the February issue of Nature Aging, reveals that fibroblast growth factor FGF21, a peptide hormone, plays a vital role in preserving&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23461"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23494,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23461\/revisions\/23494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}