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Role of the Immune System in Aging and Longevity

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The aging process is a universal, intrinsic, progressive accumulation of deleterious changes in cells and tissues that increases morbidity and leads to death. The heterogeneity of the age-related physiological changes is shown by the “biological age”, which determines the rate of ageing experienced by each individual and therefore his life expectancy. According to the recent theory of oxidation-inflammation to explain the aging process, the immune system seems to be involved in the chronic oxidative and inflammatory stress conditions of aging. It has been proposed that several agerelated changes in immune cell functions, which depend on the redox state of these cells, could be good markers of health, biological age and longevity. In order to identify parameters of the functional and redox situation of immune cells as markers of biological age and predictors of longevity, we have studied those parameters in human healthy centenarians, in extreme long-living mice, as models of successful aging, and in immune cells from murine models of premature immunosenescence. The aim of the present work is to review the results in humans and rodents on those parameters and their relationship with biological age and longevity, as well as to propose several strategies of lifestyle useful to improve the immune function and thus to increase the mean life span.





Keywords: Aging; Hormesis; Longevity; Neutrophils; Phagocytic cells; Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology; antioxidants; immune system; inflammation; oxidative stress

Document Type: Research Article

Publication date: 01 July 2011

More about this publication?
  • Current Aging Science publishes frontier review and experimental articles in all areas of aging and age-related research that may influence longevity. This multidisciplinary journal will help in understanding the biology and mechanism of aging, genetics, pathogenesis, intervention of normal aging process and preventive strategies of age-related disorders. The journal publishes objective reviews written by experts and leaders actively engaged in research using cellular, clinical, molecular, and animal models, including lower organism models (e.g., yeast, Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila). In addition to the affect of aging on integrated systems, the journal also covers original articles on recent research in fast emerging areas of adults stem cells, brain imaging, calorie restriction, immunosenescence, molecular diagnostics, pharmacology and clinical aspects of aging. Manuscripts are encouraged that relate to developmental programming of aging and the synergistic mechanism of aging with cardiovascular diseases, obesity and neurodegenerative disorders.

    Book reviews, meeting reports and letters-to-the-editor and drug clinical trial studies are also published. The journal is essential reading for researchers, educators and physicians with interest in aging, age-related dementia and Alzheimer's disease and longevity. Current Aging Science provides a comprehensive coverage of the current state of aging research for gerontologists, neuroscientists, clinicians, health science planners, granting agencies and pharmaceutical scientists.

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