2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1432-2277.2009.00927.x
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The aging of the immune system

Abstract: Summary An age‐related decline in immune functions, referred to as immunosenescence, is partially responsible for the increased prevalence and severity of infectious diseases, and the low efficacy of vaccination in elderly persons. Immunosenescence is characterized by a decrease in cell‐mediated immune function as well as by reduced humoral immune responses. Age‐dependent defects in T‐ and B‐cell function coexist with age‐related changes within the innate immune system. In this review, we discuss the mechanism… Show more

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Cited by 753 publications
(653 citation statements)
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“…Stage at the presentation is the most important prognostic factor but also young age seems to have a negative impact [3]. It is hypothesized that this may be attributed to the high activity of antigen presenting system in young individuals which decreases in elderly [24]. In the series of extranodal IDCS of head and neck, the three younger patients presented a nasopharyngeal localization of IDCS and had the worst prognosis; two of them [10,12] developed distant metastases and one [11] did not achieve complete response after radiotherapy.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Stage at the presentation is the most important prognostic factor but also young age seems to have a negative impact [3]. It is hypothesized that this may be attributed to the high activity of antigen presenting system in young individuals which decreases in elderly [24]. In the series of extranodal IDCS of head and neck, the three younger patients presented a nasopharyngeal localization of IDCS and had the worst prognosis; two of them [10,12] developed distant metastases and one [11] did not achieve complete response after radiotherapy.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Its etiology is multifactorial and reflects exposure to external pathogens, persistent viral infections, obesity, physical and psychological stress, and thymic involution among other events over an individual's life (de Araújo et al 2013). Immunosenescence is a major cause of increased morbidity and early mortality (Larbi et al 2008) and is characterized by changes in T cell subpopulations, reduced numbers of B cells, deficiencies in antibody isotype switching, and reduced ability to produce specific antibodies (Alam et al 2013;Agarwal and Busse 2010), all of which compromise immunization responsiveness (Weiskopf et al 2009). Because of this compromise, influenza remains a significant cause of mortality among the elderly.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Both the cellular basis and clinical relevance of immunosenescence are increasingly well characterised in humans [2]. In contrast, for invertebrates the mechanisms underpinning immunosenescence are poorly understood, even for the best-characterised invertebrate model, Drosophila melanogaster.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%