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Aging Lung Cells Linked to Severe COVID and Flu Risks in Older Adults
New UCSF study uncovers how 'inflammaging' drives excessive immune response in aging lungs
Mar. 28, 2026 at 7:10am by Ben Kaplan
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Groundbreaking research from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has shed light on why older adults face a significantly higher risk of severe illness from respiratory infections like influenza and COVID-19. The culprit is aging lung cells, specifically fibroblasts, triggering an excessive immune response through a process called 'inflammaging' - chronic, low-grade inflammation associated with aging.
Why it matters
This research represents a significant shift in understanding why older adults are more vulnerable to respiratory infections, moving the focus from solely addressing the virus itself to tackling the underlying inflammatory processes within the lungs. The findings have implications for understanding and treating a range of lung diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, and COPD.
The details
The study, published in the journal Immunity, found that aging lung fibroblasts send out distress signals that activate the immune system, leading to clusters of inflamed cells marked by the GZMK gene, previously linked to severe COVID-19 cases. Researchers engineered young mice's lung cells to mimic the distress signals of aging lungs, resulting in an immune response and the formation of inflamed cell clusters, mirroring what's seen in aging lungs. Further investigation of lung tissue from older COVID-19 patients confirmed the presence of these inflamed cell clusters, with sicker patients exhibiting a greater concentration.
- The study was published on March 28, 2026 in the journal Immunity.
The players
Dr. Tien Peng
A professor of medicine at UCSF and senior author of the paper.
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
The institution where the groundbreaking research was conducted.
What they’re saying
“We were surprised to see lung fibroblasts working hand-in-hand with immune cells to drive inflammaging. It suggests new ways to intervene before patients progress to severe inflammation that can require intubation.”
— Dr. Tien Peng, Professor of Medicine, UCSF
What’s next
Researchers are actively exploring potential therapeutic targets based on these findings, with the goal of developing new treatments that directly target the GZMK cells or interrupt the signaling pathways that drive inflammaging. This could potentially slow age-related inflammation and protect older adults from severe respiratory illness.
The takeaway
This research represents a significant breakthrough in understanding the underlying causes of why older adults are more vulnerable to severe respiratory infections like COVID-19 and influenza. By identifying the role of aging lung cells and the process of 'inflammaging,' scientists now have a new target to explore potential therapies that could better protect this high-risk population.
