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[Aging of the immune system].

Anne Großkopf1, Andreas Simm2

  • 1Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik für Herzchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Ernst-Grube Str. 40, 06120, Halle (Saale), Deutschland.

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Summary

As people age, their immune system weakens, leading to increased infections, inflammation, and reduced vaccine effectiveness. This age-related immune decline, known as immunosenescence, affects multiple immune barriers and contributes to degenerative diseases.

Keywords:
Barrier functionCytokinesFrailtyImmunosenescenceInflammaging

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Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Gerontology
  • Pathology

Context:

  • Aging is associated with a decline in immune system function.
  • This decline impacts the effectiveness of vaccinations and increases susceptibility to infections and inflammatory diseases.
  • Key age-related changes occur in the skin, mucosa, innate immunity, and adaptive immunity.

Purpose:

  • To explain the multifaceted decline of the immune system with age.
  • To detail the specific changes in each of the three immune system domains.
  • To link these age-related immune changes, termed immunosenescence, to increased disease incidence.

Summary:

  • The immune system comprises three barriers: the epithelial barrier (skin/mucosa), the innate immune system, and the adaptive immune system.
  • With aging, the epithelial barrier loses function, the innate immune system exhibits chronic inflammation and reduced pathogen response, and the adaptive immune system shows decreased lymphocyte production and diversity.
  • These collective changes are termed immunosenescence.

Impact:

  • Immunosenescence contributes significantly to the increased incidence of infections, inflammatory conditions like arteriosclerosis, tumors, and reduced vaccine efficacy in older adults.
  • Understanding immunosenescence is crucial for developing interventions to mitigate age-related disease risks.
  • This research highlights the systemic nature of immune aging and its broad health implications.