Researchers propose an immunological model of disease incidence in which disease risk is inversely related to T-cell production, which declines exponentially with age; the model fits the empirical incidence profiles of several infectious diseases and cancers, suggesting that therapies to improve T-cell production in the aging immune system hold promise for cancer and infectious disease treatment.
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Article #17-14478: "Thymic involution and rising disease incidence with age," by Sam Palmer, Luca Albergante, Clare C. Blackburn, and T.J. Newman.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sam Palmer, University of Dundee, UNITED KINGDOM; tel: +60-10-257-6255; e-mail: < spalmer@tcd.ie >; Thea Newman, Solaravus, Cupar, UNITED KINGDOM; tel: +44-7548-736594; e-mail: < tjnewman@solaravus.com >
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences