ging Stem Cells Linked to Leukemia in Elderly

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Aging Stem Cells Linked to Leukemia in Elderly

TUESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Aging stem cells may be behind an

increased risk of infection and leukemia in older people, according to

a Stanford University School of Medicine study.

The report appears in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the

National Academy of Sciences.

The Stanford team found that in older mice, bone marrow stem cells

that create new blood cells produce fewer immune cells. That means the

bodies of older mice are less able to fight infection.

As well as producing fewer immune cells, the aging blood-forming stem

cells use genes known to be involved in leukemia -- cancers that

affect blood cells. This may be one reason why older people have an

increased risk of developing certain kinds of leukemia, the study

authors said.

The findings provide more evidence that aging stem cells or stem cells

responding to conditions in an aging body may be the source of a

number of age-related health problems.

" Aging results in a diminished capacity of the body to maintain tissue

and organ function. Since we know the cells mediating this maintenance

are stem cells, it doesn't take a great leap of faith to think that

stem cells are at the heart of that failure, " study co-author and

postdoctoral scholar Derrick Rossi said in a prepared statement.

The researchers said this finding could lead to ways to improve immune

function or prevent leukemia in older people.