The 15-Year Survival Advantage: Immune Resilience as a Salutogenic Force in Healthy Aging.

ABSTRACT: Human aging presents an evolutionary paradox: while aging rates remain constant, healthspan and lifespan vary widely. We address this conundrum via salutogenesis-the active production of health-through immune resilience (IR), the capacity to resist disease despite aging and inflammation. Analyzing ~17,500 individuals across lifespan stages and inflammatory challenges, we identified a core salutogenic mechanism: IR centered on TCF7, a conserved transcription factor maintaining T-cell stemness and regenerative potential. IR integrates innate and adaptive immunity to counter three aging and mortality drivers: chronic inflammation (inflammaging), immune aging, and cellular senescence. By mitigating these aging mechanisms, IR confers survival advantages: At age 40, individuals with poor IR face

SUBMITTER: Manoharan MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12266754 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature