# Engineering Immune Cell to Counteract Aging and Aging‐Associated Diseases

**Authors:** Jianhua Guo, Lanjie Lei, Ying Jin, Lan Su, Shumao Cui, Liyun Shi

PMC · DOI: 10.1002/advs.202521776 · Advanced Science · 2026-01-28

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how engineered immune cells can be used to combat aging and age-related diseases by clearing harmful cells and reducing inflammation.

## Contribution

The paper introduces immune cell therapies as a novel approach to counteract aging, extending their use beyond cancer treatment.

## Key findings

- CAR-engineered immune cells can clear senescent cells and reduce inflammation.
- Challenges include target specificity and immunosuppressive environments.
- Multidisciplinary approaches are needed to advance personalized anti-aging therapies.

## Abstract

Aging and age‐related diseases are a major public health concern, driving interest in anti‐aging research. While small molecules and natural compounds show promise in animals, clinical translation is limited. Recently, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐engineered immune cells have achieved breakthroughs in treating non‐cancerous conditions like autoimmune diseases and organ fibrosis, highlighting their therapeutic potential. This review explains how the immune system counteracts aging through senescent cell clearance, reduction of pro‐inflammatory environments, and secretion of regenerative factors. It synthesizes principles of immune cell‐based anti‐aging therapies, analyzing preclinical and clinical studies. Key challenges include limited target specificity, immunosuppressive microenvironments, and variability in cell source and function. Future progress will require multidisciplinary collaboration—incorporating nanotechnology, synthetic biology, and targeted delivery—with artificial intelligence accelerating the development of personalized anti‐aging interventions. Cellular immunotherapies thus hold transformative potential for modulating aging and advancing precision medicine to extend global healthspan.

This review highlights a paradigm shift in which advanced immune cell therapies, initially developed for cancer, are now being harnessed to combat aging. By engineering immune cells to selectively clear senescent cells and remodel pro‐inflammatory tissue microenvironments, these strategies offer a novel and powerful approach to delay age‐related functional decline and treat associated pathologies.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** inflammatory (MESH:D007249), cancerous (MESH:D009369), fibrosis (MESH:D005355), autoimmune diseases (MESH:D001327)

## Full text

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## Figures

9 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12970235/full.md

## References

224 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12970235/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12970235