The fountain of youth may be on the horizon. Researchers in New York have discovered a new therapy using specialized immune cells, known as CAR-T cells, to target and eliminate old, worn-out cells in the body that contribute to age-related decline. This breakthrough discovery may pave the way for preventing and treating age-related diseases and slowing down what we now consider to be the natural aging process.

According to Study Finds, as we age, our bodies accumulate senescent cells that stop dividing and secrete harmful inflammatory substances that damage surrounding tissues. This can cause a host of age-related conditions from diabetes to decreased physical fitness. By reprogramming T cells, the white blood cells that boost our immune function, researchers were able to target and destroy senescent cells and boost well-being in laboratory mice.

The CAR-T cells, that were originally developed to target cancer cells, can be engineered to target a protein called uPAR that is found on the surface of senescent cells. By targeting uPAR, the CAR-T cells can effectively locate and destroy senescent cells. The remarkable part of this treatment is that a single dose of CAR-T cells continues to work over time, so one dose can have lifelong effects.

The treatment has the potential to improve metabolic function, like better glucose tolerance and increased exercise capacity in later years, says Study Finds. As a result, the mice treated with CAR-T cells ended up living healthier lives, and had lower body weight, improved metabolism and glucose tolerance, and increased physical activity. All these benefits came without any tissue damage or toxicity, according to a release from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where the research was conducted.

In mouse studies, the treated rodents exhibited improved physical and metabolic health without any side effects, which means that the treatment is both effective and safe.

“If we give it to aged mice, they rejuvenated,” said Dr. Corina Amor Vegas, an assistant professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and principal investigator of the study. “If we give it to young mice, they age more slowly. No other therapy right now can do this.”

CAR-T cells have been used to treat a variety of blood cancers, receiving approval from the Food and Drug Administration in 2017, but Amor Vegas is one of the first scientists to show that these cells have medical potential that goes further than cancer. Her lab is now investigating whether the CAR-T cells let mice not only live healthier but longer Iives.  If her work is successful, researchers may have actually found the fountain of youth.