Early studies on mice show that a vaccine that stops zombie cells from making us age works.
The Juntendo University in Tokyo published a study in the journal Nature Aging that looked at aging-associated senescent cells, known as zombie cells, in hopes of identifying mechanisms to slow down their accumulation.
IFL Science said that these cells are found in tissues that have stopped growing but refuse to die. They have a tendency to release chemicals that cause inflammation in surrounding cells, just like zombies can't help but spread diseases to humans.
IFL Science said that the process of senescence can happen for a number of reasons, but they seem to most often happen in the process of aging.
The Juntendo study found that the elimination of senescent cells could delay the illnesses associated with aging by identifying the unique genes of zombie cells and then creating a vaccine that mounts an immune response to it.
The Japanese researchers gave the experimental vaccine to mice that had arteries that were similar to humans' as they age. The vaccine improved thearterial stiffening and prolonged the lifespan of mice with premature aging.
According to the Japan Times, the author of the study said that in the future, something similar to this experimental vaccine might be used for the treatment of aging-related diseases.
These promising results offer an exciting glimpse into the future of age-related illness, and perhaps, for those bent on extending their lifespans, of treating the "disease" of aging.
The vaccine stops zombie cells behind aging diseases in mice.
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