The trial included 50 healthy middle-aged adults, who received a daily dose of Urolithin A or a placebo for four weeks. The substance works by activating a biological process called “Mitophagy”, which recycles and renews the mitochondria – the “powerhouses” of the cells. The participants who received Urolithin A showed a significant increase in their naïve T cells, effectively replenishing the “young cell” pool.
The treatment also improved other key immune populations, strengthened the body’s ability to eliminate bacteria and better prepared it to face new challenges. The researchers based their work on a previous study, in which they showed that Urolithin A is able to reprogram T cells and improve the immune response against colon cancer in models.
“Three years ago, we discovered that Urolithin A is able to powerfully expand a special population of long-lived, anti-tumor T cells in our laboratory models,” explains Dr. Dominique Dank, the principal researcher in Rieli and a professor of medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine A at the Frankfurt University Hospital. “Our goal has always been to transfer the findings from the laboratory to the clinic. This study is the critical first step, and it shows that Urolithin A can safely improve immune system function in humans. We are particularly excited about its potential in cancer treatment.”