CAR-T cells could be redeployed to treat senescence-related diseases

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have been successfully used against treatment-resistant blood cancers. Now, scientists have demonstrated that they can potentially be engineered to treat senescence-related diseases, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, osteoarthritis and liver fibrosis. Scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (NY, USA) have demonstrated that CAR-T cells have applications beyond treating blood cancers by successfully engineering them to treat liver fibrosis – a disease linked to senescence – in murine models. Senescence is a permanent state of cell-cycle arrest where cells secrete a range of pro-inflammatory factors. Senescence is thought to be caused by cellular stress, DNA...