Generation and analysis of new mouse models for the study of immunosenescence and autoimmunity

Immunosenescence results from a continuous deterioration of immune responses, increasing the risk for severe infections in the elderly population and lowering the efficacy of vaccines (immunodeficiency) as well as an inappropriate immune-response, increasing autoimmune disease/chronic inflammation predisposition. Our objective is to understand the biological mechanisms that are implicated in immunosenescence and to identify molecular and cellular origins of both immunodeficiency and autoimmunity disease in aged population. To this aim we intend to reproduce in genetically modified mouse model the same cellular changes we observed in human, amplifying the immunosenescence immunological features. To realize this purpose we determinate, by fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis (FACS) and hemochrome analysis, how the immune system changes in vivo at 2-3, 6-7, 10-11, 14-15, over 18 months in wild-type, SH2B3 knock-out and TNFSF13B transgenic mice.