• Tianrui Yang, Rongjun Wan, Wei Tu, Sai Nithin Avvaru, and Peisong Gao.
• Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
• Chin. Med. J. 2024 Feb 20; 137 (4): 382393382-393.

AbstractAging is a significant risk factor for various diseases, including asthma, and it often leads to poorer clinical outcomes, particularly in elderly individuals. It is recognized that age-related diseases are due to a time-dependent accumulation of cellular damage, resulting in a progressive decline in cellular and physiological functions and an increased susceptibility to chronic diseases. The effects of aging affect not only the elderly but also those of younger ages, posing significant challenges to global healthcare. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms associated with aging in different diseases is essential. One intriguing factor is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which serves as a cytoplasmic receptor and ligand-activated transcription factor and has been linked to the aging process. Here, we review the literature on several major hallmarks of aging, including mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, autophagy, mitophagy, epigenetic alterations, and microbiome disturbances. Moreover, we provide an overview of the impact of AhR on these hallmarks by mediating responses to environmental exposures, particularly in relation to the immune system. Furthermore, we explore how aging hallmarks affect clinical characteristics, inflammatory features, exacerbations, and the treatment of asthma. It is suggested that AhR signaling may potentially play a role in regulating asthma phenotypes in elderly populations as part of the aging process.Copyright © 2024 The Chinese Medical Association, produced by Wolters Kluwer, Inc. under the CC-BY-NC-ND license.

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