The role of senescent macrophages as a driver of inflammaging and altered NAD+ metabolism in aging
Aging is the number one risk factor for many diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, and diabetes. Inflammation, or activation of the immune system, is a key driver of many of these diseases including the aging process itself. However, how the immune system changes with aging and what cells in the immune system are responsible for promoting-aging related diseases is unknown. Interestingly, the Covarrubias Lab has found that during aging an immune cell called the macrophage may undergo a process called senescence, and be stuck permanently in an activated state. The senescence process may lead to inflammation of our bodies’ tissues and also regulate an essential metabolite in our body called NAD+. Dr. Covarrubias hopes to better understand the role of macrophages in the aging process to better understand how their activation state changes with age to help reduce inflammation and prevent or slow aging and aging-related diseases.
