High Glucose-Induced Mitophagy Accelerates Premature Aging Of T Cells In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Our immune system relies on specialized white blood cells, called T cells, to protect us. In conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own joints, these T cells can start to show signs of aging much earlier than they should. Recent research sheds light on a surprising connection: high sugar levels in the blood might be a key culprit in this premature aging.
The study found that elevated sugar (glucose) levels trigger an accelerated “cleanup” process within these immune cells, known as mitophagy. Mitophagy is essentially the cell’s way of getting rid of old or damaged mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of the cell. While this cleanup is normally beneficial, when driven excessively by high glucose, it appears to push T cells into an early state of senescence, meaning they become “old” or “worn out” too soon.
Delving deeper, the researchers discovered that high glucose leads to an accumulation of a molecule called succinate. This succinate then modifies a specific protein (ZNF76), which in turn activates another protein (DRP1). This activation of DRP1 is what ramps up the mitophagy process, ultimately accelerating the aging of T cells. Understanding this intricate link between sugar metabolism, cellular cleanup, and the premature aging of immune cells offers exciting new avenues for developing treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.
Source: link to paper