The aging lung: Physiology, disease, and immunity.
Jaime L Schneider1, Jared H Rowe2, Carolina Garcia-de-Alba3
1Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Cell
|April 3, 2021
Summary
Human lung aging is complex, driven by lifelong stress. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for preventing age-related lung diseases and infections, especially in light of COVID-19.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Gerontology
- Immunology
Background:
- Global populations are aging rapidly, increasing the need to understand aging biology.
- The human lung experiences diverse lifelong stresses, yet mechanisms of lung aging remain unclear.
- Aging significantly elevates risks for lung diseases, infections, and cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review molecular and cellular aspects of lung aging.
- To explore local stress response pathways in the aging lung.
- To contextualize lung aging within the COVID-19 pandemic and immune alterations.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of molecular and cellular aging processes.
- Analysis of stress response pathways in lung tissue.
- Examination of age-related immune changes in the lung.
Main Results:
- Lifelong cellular and molecular stressors impact lung aging.
- Specific stress response pathways are implicated in lung aging.
- Age-related immune dysregulation in the lung increases disease susceptibility.
Conclusions:
- Aging lung biology is multifactorial, involving cellular, molecular, and immunological changes.
- Understanding lung aging is critical for addressing age-related pulmonary diseases.
- Age-associated immune alterations exacerbate lung disease risk, relevant to pandemics like COVID-19.
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