Thymic Aging May Be Associated with COVID-19 Pathophysiology in the Elderly
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TLDR
In this paper, the role of the thymus and T cells in COVID-19 immunity during aging (a synergistic effect of diminished responses to pathogens and enhanced responses to self) impacting age-related clinical severity of CoV-19 was investigated.Abstract:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and particularly exhibits severe symptoms and mortality in elderly individuals. Mounting evidence shows that the characteristics of the age-related clinical severity of COVID-19 are attributed to insufficient antiviral immune function and excessive self-damaging immune reaction, involving T cell immunity and associated with pre-existing basal inflammation in the elderly. Age-related changes to T cell immunosenescence is characterized by not only restricted T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire diversity, accumulation of exhausted and/or senescent memory T cells, but also by increased self-reactive T cell- and innate immune cell-induced chronic inflammation, and accumulated and functionally enhanced polyclonal regulatory T (Treg) cells. Many of these changes can be traced back to age-related thymic involution/degeneration. How these changes contribute to differences in COVID-19 disease severity between young and aged patients is an urgent area of investigation. Therefore, we attempt to connect various clues in this field by reviewing and discussing recent research on the role of the thymus and T cells in COVID-19 immunity during aging (a synergistic effect of diminished responses to pathogens and enhanced responses to self) impacting age-related clinical severity of COVID-19. We also address potential combinational strategies to rejuvenate multiple aging-impacted immune system checkpoints by revival of aged thymic function, boosting peripheral T cell responses, and alleviating chronic, basal inflammation to improve the efficiency of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity and vaccination in the elderly.read more
Citations
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COVID-19 and cellular senescence
Clemens A. Schmitt,Tamara Tchkonia,Laura J. Niedernhofer,Paul D. Robbins,James L. Kirkland,Soyoung Lee +5 more
TL;DR: In this article , the authors point out that cellular senescence, an ageing-related switch in cellular state, is a critical regulator of SARS-CoV-2-evoked hyperinflammation.
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Immunosenescence and COVID-19
TL;DR: In this article , it is believed that changes occurring in ageing immune system are responsible for increased severity and deadliness of COVID-19 in the elderly in the UK. But, these finding do not compute at the mechanistic level as depending solely on chronological and biological ageing.
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T cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination
TL;DR: Development of vaccines that specifically target T cells is called for, to meet the needs of patient groups for whom cellular immunity is weaker, such as the elderly and the immunosuppressed.
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How Immunosenescence and Inflammaging May Contribute to Hyperinflammatory Syndrome in COVID-19
TL;DR: In this article, a short summary of the ways that immunosenescence, inflammaging, and cytomegalovirus infection may cause insufficient immune responses, contribute to the establishment of the hyperinflammatory syndrome and impact the severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in elderly people.
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Thymus Degeneration and Regeneration.
TL;DR: In this article, a review summarizes the thymus's development, factors causing thymic injury, and the strategies for improving the regenerative power of the Thymus.
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