TY - JOUR
T1 - Immunosenescence
T2 - Aging and Immune System Decline
AU - Goyani, Priyanka
AU - Christodoulou, Rafail
AU - Vassiliou, Evros
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Immunosenescence, a systematic reduction in the immune system connected with age, profoundly affects the health and well-being of elderly individuals. This review outlines the hallmark features of immunosenescence, including thymic involution, inflammaging, cellular metabolic adaptations, and hematopoietic changes, and their impact on immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, T cells, dendritic cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. Thymic involution impairs the immune system’s capacity to react to novel antigens by reducing thymopoiesis and shifting toward memory T cells. Inflammaging, characterized by chronic systemic inflammation, further impairs immune function. Cellular metabolic adaptations and hematopoietic changes alter immune cell function, contributing to a diminished immune response. Developing ways to reduce immunosenescence and enhance immunological function in the elderly population requires an understanding of these mechanisms.
AB - Immunosenescence, a systematic reduction in the immune system connected with age, profoundly affects the health and well-being of elderly individuals. This review outlines the hallmark features of immunosenescence, including thymic involution, inflammaging, cellular metabolic adaptations, and hematopoietic changes, and their impact on immune cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, T cells, dendritic cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells. Thymic involution impairs the immune system’s capacity to react to novel antigens by reducing thymopoiesis and shifting toward memory T cells. Inflammaging, characterized by chronic systemic inflammation, further impairs immune function. Cellular metabolic adaptations and hematopoietic changes alter immune cell function, contributing to a diminished immune response. Developing ways to reduce immunosenescence and enhance immunological function in the elderly population requires an understanding of these mechanisms.
KW - cytokines
KW - immune system
KW - immunoscenence
KW - inflammation
KW - thymus
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213084038&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/vaccines12121314
DO - 10.3390/vaccines12121314
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85213084038
SN - 2076-393X
VL - 12
JO - Vaccines
JF - Vaccines
IS - 12
M1 - 1314
ER -