“Our study sheds light on the dual role of IgG in the context of aging: although it is essential for immune protection itself, its excessive accumulation can lead to cellular senescence and chronic inflammation, both of which are hallmarks of aging,” they said. said in a new paper.

The team, which includes researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, BGI Research, Capital Medical University in Beijing, several hospitals in China and Altos Labs San Diego Institute of Science in the US, published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal, Cell on Monday.

When our body encounters pathogens, it produces protective proteins known as immunoglobulins or antibodies to help fight them. IgG, the most abundant antibody in the human circulatory system, is able to neutralize toxins, viruses and bacteria.

Corresponding author Gu Ying, deputy director of the genome research organization BGI-Research, said that in the aging process, IgG was found to be a sign of chronic inflammation.

“In an acute infection, antibodies attach to foreign substances and remove them from the body. However, in a long-term aging process, increased IgG levels suggest chronic inflammation, indicating a decline in organ function and aging,” she said.