Spermidine induced autophagy correlates with vaccine function

Older adults are at high risk for infectious diseases such as the recent COVID-19 and vaccination seems to be the only long-term solution to the pandemic. While most vaccines are less efficacious in older adults, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that underpin this.

In this human study, it is shown that the induction of autophagy is specifically induced in human vaccine-induced antigen-specific T cells in vivo.

These findings have uncovered novel targets and biomarkers for the development of anti-aging drugs for human T cells, providing evidence for the use of spermidine in improving vaccine immunogenicity in the aged human population.