Triggering of Toll-like receptors in the elderly. A pilot study relevant for vaccination

The impaired ability of the elderly to mount an efficient immune response after exposure to microbes or vaccines represents a major challenge in protection against pathogens in ageing. Recently studies have shown that stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), using stimulatory ligands, can enhance vaccine efficacy by a number of mechanisms, including the activation of innate immune cells and the consequent production of inflammatory cytokines.