Decline in miR-181a expression with age impairs T cell receptor sensitivity by increasing DUSP6 activity

Human T cell function declines with age, reducing the ability of vaccines to protect the elderly against infectious disease. In this issue, Jörg Goronzy and his colleagues shed light on the mechanism by which naive CD4+ T cell responses are impaired in elderly individuals. The researchers show that miR-181a is reduced in these cells in older individuals. This results in increased expression of DUSP6, a phosphatase that dampens ERK signaling, which is necessary for optimal T cell receptor sensitivity to antigen.

Source: http://feeds.nature.com/~r/nm/rss/current/~3/z5eQVNpPWl0/nm.2963

Zooey Deschanel Aaliyah Abbie Cornish Adriana Lima Adrianne Curry