Title |
Age-related autoimmunity
|
---|---|
Published in |
BMC Medicine, April 2013
|
DOI | 10.1186/1741-7015-11-94 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Zahava Vadasz, Tharwat Haj, Aharon Kessel, Elias Toubi |
Abstract |
Older persons have higher autoimmunity but a lower prevalence of autoimmune diseases. A possible explanation for this is the expansion of many protective regulatory mechanisms highly characteristic in the elderly. Of note is the higher production of peripheral T-regulatory cells.The frequent development of autoimmunity in the elderly was suggested to take place in part due to the selection of T cells with increased affinity to self-antigens or to latent viruses. These cells were shown to have a greater ability to be pro-inflammatory, thereby amplifying autoimmunity. During aging, thymic T-regulatory cell output decreases in association with the loss of thymic capacity to generate new T cells. However, to balance the above mentioned autoimmunity and prevent the development of autoimmune diseases, there is an age-related increase in peripheral CD4+ CD25highFoxP3+ T-regulatory cells. It remains unclear whether this is an age-related immune dysfunction or a defense response. Whatever the reason, the expansion of T-regulatory cells requires payment in terms of an increased incidence of cancer and higher susceptibility to infections. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United States | 3 | 43% |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1 | 14% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 14% |
Unknown | 2 | 29% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 5 | 71% |
Scientists | 1 | 14% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 14% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Chile | 1 | <1% |
France | 1 | <1% |
Italy | 1 | <1% |
Switzerland | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 144 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 21 | 14% |
Student > Bachelor | 18 | 12% |
Researcher | 16 | 11% |
Student > Master | 16 | 11% |
Other | 9 | 6% |
Other | 21 | 14% |
Unknown | 47 | 32% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 38 | 26% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 16 | 11% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 16 | 11% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 15 | 10% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 3 | 2% |
Other | 8 | 5% |
Unknown | 52 | 35% |