One of the most affected aspects of the aging process is immunity, with age-related immune system decline being responsible for an increase in susceptibility to infectious diseases and cancer risk. On the other hand, the aging process is accompanied with low-grade pro-inflammatory status. This condition involves a persistent rise in cytokine levels that can activate both innate and adaptive immune systems. Finally, despite the fact that immunological responses to antigenic stimulations decrease with age, the incidence and prevalence of many common autoimmune diseases increase in the elderly population. Overall, the co-existence of a prolonged, low-grade inflammatory status and declining immune activity appears to be a paradoxical phenomenon. This study characterized skin inflammation in mouse dermatitis model of various ages to monitor possible changes of inflammatory responses during aging.
Keywords: Aging; Dermatitis; Immune System; Inflammation.