Aging driver identified: immune failure, Stanford study reports

An unexpected link between aging and immune function

According to НВ — Техно: Aging is accompanied by many changes in the body, and immune function is one of the most closely watched areas. A Stanford University team has uncovered a connection between aging and immunity, focusing on how tissue-resident macrophages lose efficiency over time. These long-lived cells normally serve as the body's cleanup crew, removing dead and damaged cells. As they become less effective with age, aged cells build up in tissues.

Neutrophils, which typically survive for roughly 12 hours, are meant to be cleared away by macrophages after that period. In older organisms, this clearance process falters, allowing spent neutrophils to linger and inflict tissue damage.

EP2 receptor at the center of the process

Crucially, the EP2 receptor drives this process. Its activity rises with age, exacerbating inflammation. When researchers blocked EP2 specifically in tissue macrophages in mice, the immune cells regained their ability to clear aged neutrophils. The outcomes included less fat buildup, better maintenance of muscle mass, and improvements in memory, strength, balance, and function across the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, gut, and other organs.

Those EP2-blocked mice also displayed fewer indicators of chronic inflammation.

In a separate experiment, elderly mice received an experimental EP2-blocking compound for two months. The treatment reduced the number of aged neutrophils and restored macrophage function. Tests on human liver cells mirrored these findings: older adults and patients with liver conditions showed higher levels of aged neutrophils, diminished macrophage activity, and increased EP2 receptor activity.

Even with these promising results, the study falls short of proving that blocking EP2 can slow aging in people. No safe drugs for humans based on these discoveries are available yet.

Published in SciTechDaily on August 6, 2026.

These findings broaden the scientific picture of how aging and immune responses interact. By revealing the EP2 receptor's role in dampening macrophage function, the work points toward a target for future research on age-related conditions. Translating the mouse-based discoveries into practical human therapies, however, will require considerably more investigation.

As researchers delve deeper into the complexities of aging, recent findings suggest that the brain undergoes significant changes during midlife. Understanding these shifts can provide valuable insights into the aging process and its impact on overall health. To explore this connection further, you can read about the newly identified phase of brain aging in individuals aged 50 to 75 here.