Dr. J. Nikolich-Zugich’s laboratory is interested mainly in two lines of research: 1) investigations on the biology of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and their role in the normal organism, during aging and infectious process, and 2) investigations on immunosenescence and development of methods of its correction. J. Nikolich-Zugich’s laboratory studies caloric restriction as a way to improve T-cell functioning during an immune response in long-lived animals. Research on long-lived primates showed that the number of naive T-cells and the diversity of their receptors increased in animals put on caloric restriction diet. Moreover, decreased production of inflammatory cytokines indicated that the number of old memory T-cell also went down. Thus, caloric restriction can rejuvenate senescent immune system of primates leading to decrease in the number of memory T-cells in the common pool.
Place of employment — Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, USA.
Contacts — 505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97006, USAnikolich@ohsu.edu .
Publications — Mice and flies and monkeys too: Caloric restriction rejuvenates the aging immune system of non-human primates. Nikolich-Žugich J., Messaoudi I. Exp. Gerontol. 2005;40:884.Delay of T cell senescence by caloric resctriction. Messaoudi I., Warner J., Fischer M., Park B., Hill B., Mattison J., Lane M.A., Roth G.S., Ingram D.K., Picker L.J., Douek D.C., Mori M., Nikolich-Zugich J. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2006 Dec 19;103(51):19448–53.
