The impact of ageing on the intestinal epithelial barrier and immune system.
The vast mucosal surface of the intestine is patrolled by a large number of lymphocytes forming the intestinal immune system. Like any other system in the body, this branch of the immune system is affected by ageing. Although our knowledge on the age-associated changes of the systemic immune system has improved over the past few years, our understanding of the mechanisms of senescence of both adaptive and innate immune system of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is still largely incomplete. However, recent advances in the field have shown that the identification of the events underlying the ageing process in the gut may have important consequences on health and wellbeing far beyond the GI-tract. The aim of this review is to summarise the impact of ageing on the intestinal immune system, including the gut epithelium and other components of the intestinal barrier that maintain intestinal immune homeostasis and shape antigen-specific immune responses.
Gut Health and Food Safety Institute Strategic Programme, Institute of Food Research, Norwich, United Kingdom.
Angela L
AL
Man
Gut Health and Food Safety Institute Strategic Programme, Institute of Food Research, Norwich, United Kingdom.
Nadezhda
N
Gicheva
Gut Health and Food Safety Institute Strategic Programme, Institute of Food Research, Norwich, United Kingdom. Electronic address: claudio.nicoletti@ifr.ac.uk.
Claudio
C
Nicoletti
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D064307:Microbiota / Q000276:immunology
D007070:Immunoglobulin A
Ageing; Antigen presentation; Antigen transport; Intestinal barrier; Intestinal epithelium; Intestinal immunity; Mucus; Secretory IgA