Key points from article :
People over the age of 110 have an excess of cytotoxic CD4 T-cells.
Sometimes amount up to 80 percent of all T-cells, compared to just 10 or 20 percent.
Makes them relatively immune to illnesses such as infections and cancer during their entire lifetime.
Used single-cell RNA analysis to uncover the secret behind supercentenarians' longevity.
41,208 cells from seven supercentenarians and 19,994 cells of controls between 50-80 years were analysed.
Potential to be useful in fighting against established tumours and immune-surveillance.
Research by RIKEN and Keio University School of Medicine, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
