Inflammaging as a Contributing Factor in the Development of Cardiovascular Disease

Inflammaging is the name given to the decline of the aging immune system into a state of constant, unresolved inflammation. Inflammatory signaling in the aged body arises in part because of an increased burden of senescent cells. These cells secrete a potent mix of pro-inflammatory signals, disrupting tissue function. This is one of the reasons why removal of lingering senescent cells produces such rapid rejuvenation, as these errant cells actively maintain a portion of the degradation of function and environment in aged tissues. Beyond senescent cells, the broad molecular damage and cellular dysfunction of aging produces circulating DNA debris, and similar outcomes, that are recognized by the innate immune system as indicative of infection or injury, leading to inflammatory behavior. Beyond the removal of senescent cells, current approaches to suppression of inflammation, largely developed as treatments for autoimmune conditions, are crude and have significant long-term side-effects. Because they rely on suppression of specific signal molecules or their recognition, they inhibit not only excessive and inappropriate unresolved inflammation, but also the necessary short-term inflammation that is needed for regeneration, defense against pathogens, and elimination of damaged and potentially cancerous cells. More sophisticated approaches are needed, but given the overlap in signals and signal transduction between desirable and undesirable inflammation, it is unclear that a...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs