Interleukin-7 and Immunosenescence

Researchers here examine what is known of the role of interleukin-7 (IL-7) in the gradual decline and malfunction of the aging immune system. In the old, the immune system is both more active, producing chronic inflammation that drives the progression many of the most common age-related diseases, and at the same time less effective at carrying out its tasks. This is a major component of the frailty of old age. In the bigger picture, this is a story of molecular damage, misconfiguration of immune cells, and resulting disarray in the regulation of the immune response, but the low-level details of this progressive functional decay are still largely unmapped, such as how exactly the regulatory processes governing the immune system run off the rails. Immunosenescence is the lifelong reduction in immunological reserve and homeostasis. This process contributes to reduced resistance to infectious diseases, increased propensity to develop cancer, and increased autoimmune disease observed in aged individuals. Furthermore, immunosenescence limits the success of medical interventions such as vaccination and efforts to augment antitumor immunity. Attempts to pinpoint a single "cause" of senescence in general and immunosenescence in particular have met with limited success. However, recent studies support a critical role for IL-7 in the maintenance of a vigorous healthspan and have identified IL-7 and its receptor and associated proteins, "the IL-7 network," as a useful biomarker ...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs