Urolithins Enhance Immune Response in Elderly Populations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vaccines, particularly for influenza, have limited effectiveness in elderly populations due to declining immune function and stem cell aging, leading to increased susceptibility to infections and reduced vaccine response.
Innovation Solution
The use of urolithins, such as urolithin A, as immune enhancers to boost immune responses and modulate stem cell function, enhancing vaccine effectiveness and overall immune health.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional vaccines are administered to elderly populations, then vaccination coverage is achieved, but immune response effectiveness is reduced due to immunosenescence and stem cell aging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by administering urolithins before vaccination to elderly and immunocompromised individuals. This pre-treatment allows the compound to enhance immune cell function and stem cell activity in advance, creating a more responsive immune system that can effectively respond to the subsequent vaccine antigen, thereby overcoming the limitations of immunosenescence and stem cell aging
Solution Approach 2:
Urolithins serve as an intermediary substance that mediates between the aging immune system and the vaccine antigen. The compound interacts with immune cells and stem cells to enhance their function, acting as a bridge that allows effective immune response despite the harmful effects of immunosenescence and age-related stem cell deterioration
2Reliability
If urolithins are administered to enhance immune response, then immune cellular and antibody responses are improved, but additional treatment steps and complexity are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the temporal parameters of vaccination protocols. By specifying optimal time intervals between urolithin administration and vaccination (e.g., administering urolithins 1-4 weeks before vaccination), the protocol optimizes immune enhancement while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized timing recommendations
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are compounds for use in raising an immune response to an antigen and/or enhancing, modulating or augmenting an immune response to an antigen. Particularly the use of urolithins. The invention also relates to immune enhancers comprising urolithins, methods of using such immune enhancers and processes for the preparation of such immune enhancers. The invention also relates to the use of urolithins in methods for modulating stem cell function, for example, enhancing stem cell numbers, promoting stem cell regeneration and promoting stem cell differentiation.