ABSTRACT
Introduction
Several immunological alterations that occur during pulmonary diseases often mimic alterations observed in the aged lung. From the molecular perspective, pulmonary diseases and aging partake in familiar mechanisms associated with significant dysregulation of the immune systems. Here, we summarized the findings of how aging alters immunity to respiratory conditions to identify age-impacted pathways and mechanisms that contribute to the development of pulmonary diseases,
Areas covered
The current review examines the impact of age-related molecular alterations in the aged immune system during various lung diseases, such as COPD, IPF, Asthma, and alongside many others that could possibly improve on current therapeutic interventions. Moreover, our increased understanding of this phenomenon may play a primary role in shaping immunomodulatory strategies to boost outcomes in the elderly. Here, the authors present new insights into the context of lung-related diseases and describe the alterations in the functioning of immune cells during various pulmonary conditions altered with age.
Expert opinion
The expert opinion provided the concepts on how aging alters immunity during pulmonary conditions, and suggests the associated mechanisms during the development of lung diseases. As a result, it becomes important to comprehend the complex mechanism of aging in the immune lung system.
Article highlights
How aging alters the immunity during respiratory conditions to identify the age-impacted pathways and various mechanistic ways it can contribute to the development of pulmonary diseases
Alterations in the pulmonary immune system with increasing age and its impact on inflammatory and cellular mediators
The impact of age-associated molecular alterations in the aged immune system occurring during various lung-based diseases, such as COPD, IPF, and Asthma alongside various others, that could be targetable and could possibly provide a therapeutic aid
Mechanism of the immune cells in IPF-aged lung
An outline of the immune cells participating in immune aging, contributing to the progression of the chronic lung diseaseMechanism
The immune mechanism in asthma due to lung aging
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr. Gagandeep Kaur for her valuable thoughts and discussions. Figures were generated using AAdobe Illustrator
Declaration of interest
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
Reviewer disclosures
Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.