ARE your zombie cells killing you - and could taking them out help you live longer?
Scientists at UCLA have discovered a group of immune cells that build up in ageing tissues and increase the likelihood of fatty liver disease.
Senescent cells - often referred to as zombie cells - flood the tissue with inflammation and accumulate with age and increased cholesterol.
The scientists compared the buildup of these cells to a car breaking down on a highway - one of these zombie cells can cause an enormous disruption, creating a backlog of zombie cells which then congregate and wreak havoc.
The good news is that the effects of tissue damage and fatty liver disease could potentially be reversed through eliminating these cells with the drug ABT-263, which they tested on mice that were fed a high-cholesterol diet.
After taking the drug, the mice experienced a significant drop in liver size and body weight, while their livers turned from an unhealthy yellow-ish colour to a more healthy red colour.
The scientists pointed out the zombie cells may contribute to many conditions associated with ageing, ranging from fatty liver disease to atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and cancer, which could potentially be treated or managed by targeting the cells.
Unfortunately ABT-263 is too toxic to use in humans, and the team is now trying to identify a similar safer drug.
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