[Aging of the immune system: From fundamental to clinical data]

Abstract

Major progress in preventing, delaying or curing various pathologies normally encountered in old age results in a continuous improvement in life expectancy. However, understanding the underlying cause of the disparate comorbidities occurrence with aging remains a priority in order to propose adapted care for the older population. In one hand, aging profoundly impairs the immune system; it is characterized by many changes in haematopoiesis, adaptive and innate systems, and is associated with pro-inflammatory environment. In another hand, stressful events (acute or chronic) can also impact the immune system through the secretion of hormones, which are also altered with aging. Blooming evidences from psychoneuroimmunology field suggest that, in acute medical conditions, elderly people are not equal in their responses to stressors depending on many extrinsic and intrinsic parameters. These factors could interfere with elderly's ability to mount an effective immune response. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the literature (from fundamental to clinical observations) to draw a global picture of immunosenescence. Understanding this process could enable us to target fundamental age-related pathways and thus open new avenues in improving both lifespan and health span.

Keywords: Aging; Immunity; Immunité; Inflammation; Stress; Vieillissement.