Thymic involution: Where endocrinology meets immunology

Adrienne Calder, Melanie Hince, Jarrod Dudakov, Ann Chidgey, Richard Boyd

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

    43 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The decline in immune function with aging represents a major clinical challenge in many disease conditions. It is manifest in many parameters but is essentially linked to the adaptive immune responses. The prediction would be that abnormalities in both T and B lymphocytes underlie the loss of cellular and humoral capacity, respectively. Somewhat surprisingly, this is not reflected in numerical losses but more in alterations at the population and single cell levels. There is a major reduction in naive T cells with a proportional increase in memory cells, and also a generally reduced function of these cells. While bone marrow function reduces with age, the most obvious reason for the T cell defects is the severe atrophy of the thymus. This is closely aligned with puberty, thereby implicating a major aetiological role for sex steroids in both thymus and immune system deterioration with age. Accordingly surgical or chemical castration (utilizing luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone) blocks sex steroids resulting in profound rejuvenation of the immune system.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)281 - 289
    Number of pages9
    JournalNeuroimmunomodulation
    Volume18
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2011

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