About this Research Topic
The human immune system has evolved several major arms/armies which work in concert to combat pathogens. However, repeated recruitment of these arms/armies creates an inflammatory milieu along with significant effects on the phenotype and function of immune cells. These changes may include but are not limited to, a shift in the immune response to inflammatory, autoimmune, and skewed memory T-cell phenotype and induction of virtual memory T cells. Such remodeling arises inevitably by age, however, it is possible that it is bestowed prominently at a younger age in persistent antigenic challenges, where viral infections persist (chronic infections such as HIV, HCMV, VZV, etc.) or are repeated (acute frequent infections such as SARS-CoV-2). Progressive activation of innate immunity and inflammatory cytokines contribute to the chronic low-grade inflammation known as inflammaging, which may be more related to the history of immunological encounters (immunobiography) rather than age itself.
The immunobiography of an individual reshapes the immune system and forms the balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory arms/armies. Inflammaging, together with decreased naïve T-cell repertoire diversity, TSCM attrition, and memory T-cell inflation are among the drivers of immunosenescence and skewed immune responses. Therefore, immunosenescence is a personalized phenomenon that may vary between different environmental, societal, and economic conditions. In addition to genetic, metabolic, hormonal, and nutritional factors, there is evidence that poor public hygiene and health measures, poor vaccination compliance, and repeated infections from childhood may increase the burden on the immune system and accelerate immunosenescence. This concept emphasizes the importance of childhood and life-course immunization, as well as the development of new vaccines. Implementation of vaccines has shown increased human longevity and quality of life, however, from an immunological point of view, vaccines are beneficial in the prevention of chronic inflammatory responses upon repeated pathogen encounters during a lifetime. Effective vaccines induce rapid and robust immune responses with selective and transient inflammation, which may prevent unwanted immune reactions by rapid subsidence of infection and fast depletion of damaged cells. Therefore, it is possible that the prevention of infectious diseases by vaccines may decelerate the aging of the immune system and grant healthy aging.
The aim of this Research Topic is to collect experimental, epidemiologic, real-world data and hypotheses on the role of chronic, as well as acute infections, in the acceleration or deceleration of aging in different populations and communities. This information may exist between developing and developed countries, as well as in communities where public health measures are not equally available for all, even in the developed world. We are also looking forward to receiving papers that also consider vaccine availability and compliance in immunobiography and immunosenescence.
The submissions to this research topic can be Original Research articles, Review articles (narrative, systematic, etc.), Perspectives, or Methods.
Research articles may include, but are not limited to:
•Viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections and immunosenescence
•Viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections and inflammaging
•Socioeconomic status and immunosenescence/inflammaging
•Vaccines and immunosenescence/inflammaging
•Inflammaging and autoimmunity in different populations
The immunobiography of an individual reshapes the immune system and forms the balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory arms/armies. Inflammaging, together with decreased naïve T-cell repertoire diversity, TSCM attrition, and memory T-cell inflation are among the drivers of immunosenescence and skewed immune responses. Therefore, immunosenescence is a personalized phenomenon that may vary between different environmental, societal, and economic conditions. In addition to genetic, metabolic, hormonal, and nutritional factors, there is evidence that poor public hygiene and health measures, poor vaccination compliance, and repeated infections from childhood may increase the burden on the immune system and accelerate immunosenescence. This concept emphasizes the importance of childhood and life-course immunization, as well as the development of new vaccines. Implementation of vaccines has shown increased human longevity and quality of life, however, from an immunological point of view, vaccines are beneficial in the prevention of chronic inflammatory responses upon repeated pathogen encounters during a lifetime. Effective vaccines induce rapid and robust immune responses with selective and transient inflammation, which may prevent unwanted immune reactions by rapid subsidence of infection and fast depletion of damaged cells. Therefore, it is possible that the prevention of infectious diseases by vaccines may decelerate the aging of the immune system and grant healthy aging.
The aim of this Research Topic is to collect experimental, epidemiologic, real-world data and hypotheses on the role of chronic, as well as acute infections, in the acceleration or deceleration of aging in different populations and communities. This information may exist between developing and developed countries, as well as in communities where public health measures are not equally available for all, even in the developed world. We are also looking forward to receiving papers that also consider vaccine availability and compliance in immunobiography and immunosenescence.
The submissions to this research topic can be Original Research articles, Review articles (narrative, systematic, etc.), Perspectives, or Methods.
Research articles may include, but are not limited to:
•Viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections and immunosenescence
•Viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections and inflammaging
•Socioeconomic status and immunosenescence/inflammaging
•Vaccines and immunosenescence/inflammaging
•Inflammaging and autoimmunity in different populations
Keywords: : Immunosenescence, Inflammaging, Immunobiography, Viruses, Vaccines
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
