title: Are senescence and exhaustion intertwined or unrelated processes that compromise immunity?
abstract: Can the immune system be reactivated continuously throughout the lifetime of an organism or is there a finite point at which repeated antigenic challenge leads to the loss of lymphocyte function or the cells themselves or both? Replicative senescence and exhaustion are processes that control T cell proliferative activity and function; however, there is considerable confusion over the relationship between these two intrinsic cellular control mechanisms. In this Opinion article, we compare the molecular regulation of senescence and exhaustion in T cells. Available data suggest that both processes are regulated independently of each other and that it may be safer to block exhaustion than senescence to enhance immunity.
authors: Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, UK. a.akbar@ucl.ac.uk
authors: Arne N
authors: AN
authors: Akbar
authors: Sian M
authors: SM
authors: Henson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000276:immunology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology