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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Molecular Innate Immunity
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1421062

Age-associated changes in innate and adaptive immunity: Role of the gut microbiota

Provisionally accepted
Haoyu Gao Haoyu Gao 1Eugenie Nepovimova Eugenie Nepovimova 2Vojtech Adam Vojtech Adam 3Zbyněk Heger Zbyněk Heger 3Marian Valko Marian Valko 4Qinghua Wu Qinghua Wu 1Kamil Kuca Kamil Kuca 2*
  • 1 Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei Province, China
  • 2 University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czechia
  • 3 Mendel University in Brno, Brno, South Moravia, Czechia
  • 4 Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Aging is generally regarded as an irreversible process, and its intricate relationship with the immune system has garnered significant attention due to its profound implications for the health and well-being of the aging population. As people age, a multitude of alterations occur within the immune system, affecting both innate and adaptive immunity. In the realm of innate immunity, aging brings about changes in the number and function of various immune cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages. Additionally, certain immune pathways, like the cGAS-STING, become activated. These alterations can potentially result in telomere damage, the disruption of cytokine signaling, and impaired recognition of pathogens. The adaptive immune system, too, undergoes a myriad of changes as age advances.These include shifts in the number, frequency, subtype, and function of T cells and B cells.Furthermore, the human gut microbiota undergoes dynamic changes as a part of the aging process. Notably, the interplay between immune changes and gut microbiota highlights the gut's role in modulating immune responses and maintaining immune homeostasis. The gut microbiota of centenarians exhibits characteristics akin to those found in young individuals, setting it apart from the microbiota observed in typical elderly individuals. This review delves into the current understanding of how aging impacts the immune system and suggests potential strategies for reversing aging through interventions in immune factors.

    Keywords: Aging, innate immunity, Adaptive Immunity, cGAS-STING, gut microbiota aging, Gut Microbiota

    Received: 21 Apr 2024; Accepted: 26 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Gao, Nepovimova, Adam, Heger, Valko, Wu and Kuca. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Kamil Kuca, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, 50003, Hradec Králové, Czechia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.