[Characteristics of immune response in elderly and autoimmunity.]

Aging is a very complex process, resulting in dysregulation of multiple systems. The most prominent changes in immunological function, termed «immunosenescence», are diminished immune response against infection, increased levels of pro-inflammatory mediators and increased risk of autoimmunity. Immunoscenescence is accompanied by the low-grade aseptic inflammation observed commonly in elderly people - «inflammaging», which is associated with a higher incidence of chronic non-infectious age-associated diseases. The article discusses the main changes in innate and adaptive immunity in aging and their impact on the induction of autoimmune processes, provides data on the frequency of autoantibody detection in the elderly and the clinical features of some autoimmune diseases debuting at this age.