Immunology of Aging: the Birth of Inflammaging

Abstract

The inflammaging concept was introduced in 2000 by Prof. Franceschi. This was an evolutionary or rather a revolutionary conceptualization of the immune changes in response to a lifelong stress. This conceptualization permitted to consider the lifelong proinflammatory process as an adaptation which could eventually lead to either beneficial or detrimental consequences. This dichotomy is influenced by both the genetics and the environment. Depending on which way prevails in an individual, the outcome may be healthy longevity or pathological aging burdened with aging-related diseases. The concept of inflammaging has also revealed the complex, systemic nature of aging. Thus, this conceptualization opens the way to consider age-related processes in their complexity, meaning that not only the process but also all counter-processes should be considered. It has also opened the way to add new concepts to the original one, leading to better understanding of the nature of inflammaging and of aging itself. Finally, it showed the way towards potential multimodal interventions involving a holistic approach to optimize the aging process towards a healthy longevity.

Keywords: Cytokines; Free radicals; Immunobiography; Immunosenescence; Inflammaging; Macrophages; Microbiome; Mitochondria; SASP; Signaling; Trained immunity.

Fig. 1

The conceptualization of inflammaging by integrating the original concept to the latest scientific developments. There are numerous stresses which through various pathways contribute to the lifelong shaping of immunosenescence/inflammaging. The resulting mediators/modulators dependent on the physiological threshold will lead either to longevity or pathological aging. The concomitant role of genetics and environment/epigenetics is also illustrated. All these processes are time dependent and define the underlying concept of immunobiography