Infection, Immunity, and Redox Metabolism in Aging: Comparative and Evolutionary Perspectives

The aging process is characterized by a progressive decline in physiological function, culminating in increased susceptibility to infections, altered immune responses, and disrupted redox homeostasis. While these hallmarks of aging are widely recognized, their complex, bidirectional interactions remain poorly understood. Over evolutionary time, organisms have developed conserved mechanisms to manage pathogens and maintain redox balance. However, the efficacy of these systems declines with age. This Research Topic aims to bridge the gaps between immunology, metabolism, and redox biology through an evolutionary and comparative lens, exploring how these interconnected systems shape healthspan and lifespan across diverse taxa.Understanding the conserved and divergent pathways governing host-pathogen interactions and oxidative stress during aging is crucial for identifying key targets for intervention. Evolutionary and comparative studies using diverse model systems - including yeast, nematodes, fruit flies, social insects, aquatic models, and non-traditional organisms - provide powerful frameworks to dissect these relationships. By comparing metabolic and immune strategies across different species, we can uncover fundamental principles of somatic maintenance, immune senescence, and redox regulation that may be masked in highly specific mammalian models.This collection seeks to gather cutting-edge research that integrates redox signaling, metabolic reprogramming, and immunity in the context of aging. We welcome submissions that explore how different species balance the energetic demands of immune defense against the cumulative damage of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during aging.Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:- Comparative analysis of immunometabolism and redox dynamics during aging in diverse model organisms.- Evolutionary conservation of immune-redox feedback loops and their decline during aging.- Metabolic cost of host defense and pathogen resistance across different lifespans.- The role of mitochondrial signaling, quality control, and mitophagy in age-related immunosenescence across taxa.- Influence of the microbiota on host redox status, immune function, and metabolic homeostasis in aging models.- Evolutionary trade-offs between reproduction, somatic maintenance, immune defense, and oxidative stress. Topic editors: Stanislava Chtarbanova, Sanjay Saini, Yi Sheng, Mateusz Molon Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84050/infection-immunity-and-redox-metabolism-in-aging-comparative-and-evolutionary-perspectives