ArticlePLoS biology2025
Enhancing thymic function improves T-cell reconstitution and immune responses in aged mice.
Article in PLoS biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Thymic Microenvironment Shapes Age-Related Qualitative Changes in the TCR Repertoire.Aging cell · 2026Article
- Thymus and Leishmania at the Crossroads: Autoimmunity and Cancer.Immunology · 2026Review
- GW9508-Induced Activation of GPR40 in Thymic Epithelial Cells: A Therapeutic Strategy to Delay Thymic Aging.Aging cell · 2026Article
- Turning the clock: mRNA-encoded thymic factors restore aged immunity.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2026Article
- From Development to Aging: Dynamic Roles of the Thymic Medulla in T Cell Biology.Immunological reviews · 2026Review
- Article
- Immune reconstruction after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: rules, mechanisms, and applications.Annals of hematology · 2026Review
- Age-related thymic involution: Mechanistic insights and rejuvenating approaches to restore immune function.Science advances · 2026Review
- Network-orchestrated regulation of thymic dysfunction and restoration.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Review
- MSI2 exerts antitumor effects by regulating T-cell function in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.Translational andrology and urology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Age-related thymic involution leads to diminished output of naïve T-cells. While this process is suggested to increase the risk of disease severity in the elderly following infection, direct evidence is lacking. We developed two mouse models that allow us to experimentally prevent or reverse thymic involution. Constitutive Myc expression in thymic epithelial cells (TEC) of middle-aged mice enhanced thymic function, and increased numbers of peripheral naïve CD4 and CD8 T-cells. Inducible Myc expression reversed age-related thymic involution and partially recovered peripheral naïve T-cell numbers. Importantly, improving thymic function in these settings preserved T-cell-dependent antibody responses and significantly reduced T-cell-associated mortality after infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Improved thymic function also rebalanced age-associated alterations in the Treg pool, and mitigated loss of the transcriptional Th1 signature in aged conventional T-cells. Our findings support the value of TEC-focused thymic regeneration strategies for enhancement of T-cell-mediated immunity in the elderly.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.