Changes in Lifespan as an Integral Response to the Organism’s Immune Status and Mobile Elements Activity

Abstract

One of the key goals in studying the molecular and genetic basis of many pathologies is to find triggers, which could positively influence the incidence of age-dependent diseases and the rate of aging in general. A possible cause of age-dependent degradation of the organism functions inducing aging is immunosenescence. It is known that the increased activity of mobile elements observed with age may not only affect the level of genome stability, but also play a crucial role in the development of immune response. At the same time, the pivotal role of the nervous system in controlling lifespan has long been proven, and recently it has been shown that components of the machinery that regulate mobile element activity do function in the nervous system, and their functioning affects the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This mini-review presents evidence for complex aging regulation by the nervous and immune systems, involving systems that control mobile element activity and proposes a hypothetical scheme for their joint impact on lifespan.