The Aging of the Adaptive Immune System

摘要

Abstract: Adaptive immune responses are severely affected by the aging process as reflected by an increased morbidity nand mortality from infectious diseases and a low efficacy of vaccination in elderly persons. Age-related changes within nthe bone marrow and thymus lead to an impaired generation of new T and B cells severely compromising the maintenance nof a diverse and balanced T and B cell repertoire in old age. The maintenance of a balanced T cell repertoire is further nchallenged by latent persistent infections, such as Cytomegalovirus. Understanding the mechanisms of age-related nalterations of the adaptive immune response may help to facilitate the development of more efficient vaccines for elderly npersons and to envisage strategies to overcome immunosenescence.