Open AccessA gut‐centric view of aging: Do intestinal epithelial cells contribute to age‐associated microbiota changes, inflammaging, and immunosenescence?
Author(s) -
Hohman Leah S.,
Osborne Lisa C.
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
aging cell
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 140
eISSN - 1474-9726
pISSN - 1474-9718
DOI - 10.1111/acel.13700
Subject(s) - immunosenescence , biology , gut flora , immune system , immunology , immunity , homeostasis , intestinal epithelium , microbiology and biotechnology , epithelium , genetics
Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) serve as both a physical and an antimicrobial barrier against the microbiota, as well as a conduit for signaling between the microbiota and systemic host immunity. As individuals age, the balance between these systems undergoes a myriad of changes due to age‐associated changes to the microbiota, IECs themselves, immunosenescence, and inflammaging. In this review, we discuss emerging data related to age‐associated loss of intestinal barrier integrity and posit that IEC dysfunction may play a central role in propagating age‐associated alterations in microbiota composition and immune homeostasis.