title: Immunosenescence phenotypes in the telomerase knockout mouse.
abstract: Increasing generations of the telomerase knockout mouse, Terc-/-, show severe telomere dysfunction characterized by critically short telomeres and end-to-end chromosomal fusions. These mice also suffer from various age-related diseases affecting highly proliferative tissues. Among these pathologies are a reduced proliferative capacity of B and T cells, as well as a reduction of germinal center reactivity upon immunization. Both immune system defects are landmarks of immunosenescence. The study of the telomerase-deficient mouse model supports the notion that telomere shortening with age contributes to immunological dysfunction in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Campus Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Blasco
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D018448:Models, Immunological; D010641:Phenotype; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019098:Telomerase / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016615:Telomere / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019098:Telomerase