Immunology of Aging

The rapidity of scientific progress over the last few years guarantees the utility of this new collection of state-of-the-art reviews on the immunology of aging, which is the result of extensive collaboration of more than sixty of the greatest thinkers and scholars in the field, in cooperation with a number of junior colleagues. The book summarizes current knowledge on the cellular and molecular aspects of the aging immune system and their clinical relevance, providing insights into the effects of the aging process on susceptibilities to those diseases most common among elders. The retrieval strategies used to slow down the decline in the immune system in the elderly are another subject detailed extensively. By providing a broad overview of immunosenescence and its consequences, as well as their potential modulation, this book will fill a gap in a timely manner. It will be of value to all immunologists, whether novice or experienced, as well as geriatricians and epidemiologists.

An Introduction on the old age and aging of the immune system.- The immune system, a marker and modulator of the rate of aging.- Age-associated alterations of pleiotropic stem cell and the therapeutic implication of stem cell therapy in aging.- A role for epigenetic modulation of the innate immune response during aging.- Basophil, eosinophil and neutrophil functions in the elderly.- Dendritic cells and dysregulated immunity in the elderly.- Natural killer cell immunosenescence and cancer in the elderly.- Pattern recognition receptors and aging.- Impact of ageing on T cell repertoire and immunity.- T cell mediated immunity in the immunosenescence process.- Biological and phenotypic alterations of T cells in aging.- T cells seen from the metabolic and aging perspective.- Age-related alterations in regulatory T cells.- Effects of aging on B cells.- The role of MicroRNAs in immunosenescence process.- Immunogenetics of Aging.- Aging immunity and infection.- Influenza infection in the elderly.- Optimising response to vaccination in the elderly.- Nutrition, immunity and aging.- Diet and immunosenescence.- Dietary Intake and impact of zinc supplementation on the immune functions in elderly: nutrigenomic approach.- Physiological and pathological role of reactive oxygen species in the immune cells.- Oxidative stress in aging.- Skin aging and the immune system.- Aging immunity and the impact of physical exercise.