Departamento de Fisiologia, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
Curr Pharm Des. 2011 Dec 1;17(36):3966-93. doi: 10.2174/138161211798764861.
The aging process is accompanied by an impairment of the physiological systems including the immune system. This system is an excellent indicator of health. We have also observed that several functions of the immune cells are good markers of biological age and predictors of longevity. In agreement with the oxidation-inflammation theory that we have proposed, the chronic oxidative stress that appears with age affects all cells and especially those of the regulatory systems, such as the nervous, endocrine and immune systems and the communication between them. This fact prevents an adequate homeostasis and, therefore, the preservation of health. We have also proposed an involvement of the immune system in the aging process of the organism, concretely in the rate of aging, since there is a relation between the redox state and functional capacity of the immune cells and the longevity of individuals. A confirmation of the central role of the immune system in oxi-inflamm-aging is that several lifestyle strategies such as the administration of adequate amounts of antioxidants in the diet, physical exercise, physical and mental activity through environmental enrichment and hormetic interventions improve functions of immune cells, decreasing their oxidative stress, and consequently increasing the longevity of individuals. Recent results in mice of investigations on the effects of a new environmental enrichment (bathing in waters) as well as a hormetic intervention with slight infections (caused by injection of E.coli lipopolysaccharide, LPS), on several functions and redox parameters are shown. The advantages and possible problems of the use of those interventions to achieve a healthy aging and longevity are discussed.
衰老过程伴随着生理系统的功能障碍，包括免疫系统。这个系统是健康的一个很好的指标。我们还观察到，免疫细胞的几个功能是生物年龄的良好标志物，也是长寿的预测指标。与我们提出的氧化-炎症理论一致，随着年龄的增长而出现的慢性氧化应激影响所有细胞，特别是调节系统的细胞，如神经系统、内分泌系统和免疫系统，以及它们之间的通讯。这一事实阻止了适当的体内平衡，因此也阻止了健康的维持。我们还提出免疫系统参与了机体的衰老过程，具体来说，是参与了衰老的速度，因为免疫细胞的氧化还原状态和功能能力与个体的寿命之间存在着关系。免疫系统在氧化-炎症-衰老中的核心作用得到了证实，即几种生活方式策略，如在饮食中摄入适量的抗氧化剂、体育锻炼、通过环境丰富和应激干预进行身心活动，都能改善免疫细胞的功能，降低其氧化应激，从而提高个体的寿命。本文展示了关于新环境丰富（沐浴水）以及轻度感染（注射大肠杆菌脂多糖，LPS）的应激干预对几种功能和氧化还原参数影响的研究在小鼠中的最新结果。讨论了使用这些干预措施来实现健康衰老和长寿的优势和可能存在的问题。
