ABSTRACT: Human monocyte subsets are transcriptionally and functionally altered in aging in response to pattern recognition receptor agonists [InVitro]
Project description:Human monocyte subsets are transcriptionally and functionally altered in aging in response to pattern recognition receptor agonists
Project description:Human monocyte subsets are transcriptionally and functionally altered in aging in response to pattern recognition receptor agonists [ExVivo]
Project description:Age-related alterations in immunity have been linked to increased incidence of infections and decreased responses to vaccines in the aging population. Human peripheral blood monocytes are known to promote antigen presentation and antiviral activities; however, the impact of aging on monocyte functions remains an open question. We present an in-depth global analysis examining the impact of aging on classical (CD14+CD16-), intermediate (CD14+CD16+), and non-classical (CD14dimCD16+) monocytes. Monocytes sorted from non-frail healthy adults (18-40 yrs) and old (≥ 65 yrs) individuals were analyzed after stimulation with TLR4, TLR7/8, and RIG-I agonists. Our data showed under non-stimulated conditions, monocyte subsets did not reveal significant age-related alternations; however, agonist stimulated-monocytes from adults and old subjects did show differences at the transcriptional and functional levels. These alternations in many immune-related transcripts and biological processes resulted in reduced production of IFNα, IFN, IL-1β, CCL20, and CCL8, and higher expression of CX3CR1 in monocytes from old subjects. Our findings represent a comprehensive analysis of the influence of human aging on pattern recognition receptors signaling and monocyte functions, and have implications for strategies to enhance the immune response in the context of infection and immunization.
Project description:Age-related alterations in immunity have been linked to increased incidence of infections and decreased responses to vaccines in the aging population. Human peripheral blood monocytes are known to promote antigen presentation and antiviral activities; however, the impact of aging on monocyte functions remains an open question. We present an in-depth global analysis examining the impact of aging on classical (CD14+CD16-), intermediate (CD14+CD16+), and non-classical (CD14dimCD16+) monocytes. Monocytes sorted from non-frail healthy adults (18-40 yrs) and OLD (≥ 65 yrs) individuals were analyzed after stimulation with TLR4, TLR7/8, and RIG-I agonists. Our data showed under non-stimulated conditions, monocyte subsets did not reveal significant age-related alternations; however, agonist stimulated-monocytes from adults and OLD subjects did show differences at the transcriptional and functional levels. These alternations in many immune-related transcripts and biological processes resulted in reduced production of IFNα, IFN, IL-1β, CCL20, and CCL8, and higher expression of CX3CR1 in monocytes from OLD subjects. Our findings represent a comprehensive analysis of the influence of human aging on pattern recognition receptors signaling and monocyte functions, and have implications for strategies to enhance the immune response in the context of infection and immunization.
Project description:Aging leads to dysregulation of multiple components of the immune system that result in increased susceptibility to infections and poor response to vaccines in the aging population. The dysfunctions of adaptive T- and B-cells are well documented but the effect of aging on innate immunity remains incompletely understood. Therefore, we first undertook transcriptional profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and found that PBMCs isolated from old individuals (≥65 yrs) exhibited a delayed and altered response to stimulation with TLR4, TLR7/8, and RIG-I agonists compared to cells obtained from adults (≤40 yrs). This delayed response to innate immune agonists resulted in the reduced production of pro-inflammatory and antiviral cytokines and chemokines including TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β, IFNα, IFNγ, CCL2 and CCL7. While the major monocyte and dendritic cell subsets did not change numerically with aging, activation of specific cell types was altered. We observed old PBMCs had a lower frequency of CD40+ monocytes, impaired up-regulation of PD-L1 on monocytes and T cells and increased expression of PD-L2 and B7-H4 on B cells. The defective innate immune response adversely affected adaptive immunity as TLR-stimulated PBMCs (minus CD3 T cells) from old subjects’ elicited significantly lower levels of adult T cell proliferation than those from adult subjects in an allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Collectively, these age-associated changes in cytokine, chemokine and interferon production, as well as co-stimulatory protein expression, could be responsible for the blunt memory B and T cell immune responses to vaccines and infections.
Project description:Aging is associated with increased monocyte production and altered monocyte function. Classical monocytes are heterogenous and a shift in their subset composition may underlie some of their apparent functional changes during aging. We have previously shown that mouse granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs) produce “neutrophil-like” monocytes (NeuMo), whereas monocyte-dendritic cell progenitors (MDPs) produce monocyte-derived dendritic cell (moDC)-producing monocytes (DCMo). Here, we demonstrate that classical monocytes from the bone marrow of old male and female mice have higher expression of DCMo signature genes (H2-Aa, H2-Ab1, H2-Eb1, Cd74), and that more classical monocytes express MHCII and CD74 protein. Moreover, we show that bone marrow MDPs and classical monocytes from old mice yield more moDC. We also demonstrate higher expression of Aw112010 in old monocytes and that Aw112010 lncRNA activity regulates MHCII induction in macrophages, which suggests that elevated Aw112010 levels may underlie increased MHCII expression during monocyte aging. Finally, we show that classical monocyte expression of MHCII is also elevated during healthy aging in humans. Thus, aging-associated changes in monocyte production may underlie altered monocyte function and have implications for aging-associated disorders.
Project description:The new official nomenclature subdivides human monocytes into three subsets, classical (CD14++CD16-), intermediate (CD14++CD16+) and nonclassical (CD14+CD16+). Here, we comprehensively define relationships and unique characteristics of the three human monocyte subsets using microarray and flow cytometry analysis. Our analysis revealed that the intermediate and nonclassical monocyte subsets were most closely related. For the intermediate subset, majority of genes and surface markers were expressed at an intermediary level between the classical and nonclassical subset. There features therefore indicate a close and direct lineage relationship between the intermediate and nonclassical subset. From gene expression profiles, we define unique characteristics for each monocyte subset. Classical monocytes were functionally versatile, due to the expression of a wide range of sensing receptors and several members of the AP-1 transcription factor family. The intermediate subset was distinguished by high expression of MHC class II associated genes. The nonclassical subset were most highly differentiated and defined by genes involved in cytoskeleton rearrangement that explains their highly motile patrolling behavior in vivo. Additionally, we identify unique surface markers, CLEC4D, IL-13RA1 for classical, GFRA2, CLEC10A for intermediate and GPR44 for nonclassical. Our study hence defines the fundamental features of monocyte subsets necessary for future research on monocyte heterogeneity. Three human monocyte subsets, the CD14++CD16- classical, the CD14++CD16+ intermediate and CD14+CD16+ nonclassical subsets were purified using fluorescence activated cell sorting from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. RNA was processed from the three monocyte subsets from 4 individual donors in duplicates, giving a total of 24 samples.