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Cited by 154T-cell and B-cell ImmunologyGenetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model OrganismsTelomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 55 of the 56 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Biomarkers of immunosenescence within an evolutionary perspective: the challenge of heterogeneity and the role of antigenic load

Franceschi, Claudio, Valensin, Silvana, Fagnoni, Francesco, Barbi, Cristiana, Bonafè, Massimiliano·1999·Experimental Gerontology
DOI 10.1016/s0531-5565(99)00068-6
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Abstract

Under an evolutionary perspective, antigens can be considered nothing else than chronic stressors that constituted the major selective pressure for immune system emergence and evolution. In this review, recent data are discussed under the hypothesis that human immunosenescence is the consequence of the continuous attrition caused by chronic antigenic overload/stress. The advantage of this theoretical approach is that a unifying hypothesis is proposed, which tries to fill in the current gap between the conceptualizations concerning the mechanisms which counteract aging and favor longevity in invertebrates and vertebrates. The hypothesis is that the immune system is, at a higher level of biological organization and complexity, the counterpart of the anti-stress response network identified in invertebrates as the major determinant of survival. We argue that some of the most important characteristics of immunosenescence, i.e. the accumulation and the clonal expansion of memory and effector T cells, the reduction/exhaustion of naive T cells, and the shrinkage of T cell repertoire, are compatible with this assumption. Thus, immunosenescence can be envisaged as a global reduction of the "immunological space." Concomitantly, immunosenescence results in the progressive generation of cellular mosaicism which is the consequence of the heterogeneous replicative histories and telomere shortening of T and B cell subsets, as well as hemopoietic stem cells. Most of the parameters affected by immunosenescence appear to be under genetic control, and future research on biomarkers should address this point. On the whole, immunosenescence can be taken as a proof that the beneficial effects of the immune system, devoted to the neutralization of dangerous/harmful agents early in life and in adulthood, turn to be detrimental late in life, in a period largely not foreseen by evolution. This perspective fits with basic assumptions of evolutionary theories of aging, such as antagonistic pleiotropy.

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Franceschi, 1978, T and B lymphocyte subpopulations in Down’s syndrome. Study on not-institutionalized subjects, J Ment Defic Res, 22, 179
  2. Slagboom, 1994, Genetic determination of telomere size in humans, Am J Hum Genet, 55, 876

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Metadata

Authors
Franceschi, C., Valensin, S., Fagnoni, F., Barbi, C., & Bonafè, M.
Affiliations
  • Istituto Nazionale di Riposo e Cura per Anziani (IT)
  • University of Bologna (IT)
  • University of Parma (IT)
Corresponding author
Franceschi, Claudio
ORCID
Venue
Experimental Gerontology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1999-12
Volume
34
Issue
8
Pages
911-921
ISSN
0531-5565 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s0531-5565(99)00068-6
OpenAlex
W1991422276
Cited by
154
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 6
FWCI
0.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Experimental Gerontology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Aging › Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Telomeres, Telomerase, and Senescence
Keywords
immunosenescence, biomarkers, chronic stress, immune system evolution, T cell exhaustion, T cell receptor repertoire, cellular mosaicism, telomere shortening, hematopoietic stem cells, antagonistic pleiotropy, evolutionary theory of aging, longevity
MeSH terms
Aging, Antigens, Biological Evolution, Humans, Immune System, Genetic Variation, Biomarkers

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