Loss of immune regulation in aged T-cells: A metabolic review to show lack of ability to control responses within the self

Abstract

The progressive decline of the anatomical architecture and loss of functional integrity of an individual is aging. Accumulation of degenerative cellular and molecular changes in the aging cells increases the fragility at the cellular and molecular levels. It pushes towards age-associated diseases like Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, etc. The impaired T cell function in aging is a leading contributor to increased susceptibility to pathogens, minimized vaccine response, and skewed inflammation. Recent studies about the role of T cells in the remodelling of the immune system have provided ways to examine and explore aging puzzles and their correlation with T cell functions. Here we review the metabolic aspect of T cell function and its possible restoration. IL-7 and mTOR mediated pathways and their association with reactivation of effector T cell function could help understanding the dark side of the compromised adaptive immune system, particularly T cell response, in aging. Understanding these crucial fundamentals could help design and target new molecules to prevent loss of T cell functionality in aging.

Keywords: Aging; Immune system; Metabolism; T cells; mTOR.