Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Aging and Longevity: The Foundation of Resilience

The interrelation of the processes of immunity and senescence now receives an unprecedented emphasis during the COVID-19 pandemic, which brings to the fore the critical need to combat immunosenescence and improve the immune function and resilience of older persons. Here we review the historical origins and the current state of the science of innate and adaptive immunity in aging and longevity. From the modern point of view, innate and adaptive immunity are not only affected by aging but also are important parts of its underlying mechanisms. Excessive levels or activity of antimicrobial peptides, C-reactive protein, complement system, TLR/NF-κB, cGAS/STING/IFN 1,3 and AGEs/RAGE pathways, myeloid cells and NLRP3 inflammasome, declined levels of NK cells in innate immunity, thymus involution and decreased amount of naive T-cells in adaptive immunity, are biomarkers of aging and predisposition factors for cellular senescence and aging-related pathologies. Long-living species, human centenarians, and women are characterized by less inflamm-aging and decelerated immunosenescence. Despite recent progress in understanding, the harmonious theory of immunosenescence is still developing. Geroprotectors targeting these mechanisms are just emerging and are comprehensively discussed in this article.

Stochastic non-enzymatic modification of long-lived macromolecules - A missing hallmark of aging

Damage accumulation in long-living macromolecules (especially extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, nuclear pore complex (NPC) proteins, and histones) is a missing hallmark of aging. Stochastic non-enzymatic modifications of ECM trigger cellular senescence as well as many other hallmarks of aging affect organ barriers integrity and drive tissue fibrosis. The importance of it for aging makes it a key target for interventions. The most promising of them can be AGE inhibitors (chelators, O-acetyl group or transglycating activity compounds, amadorins and amadoriases), glucosepane breakers, stimulators of elastogenesis, and RAGE antagonists.

Radioprotectors.org: an open database of known and predicted radioprotectors

The search for radioprotectors is an ambitious goal with many practical applications. Particularly, the improvement of human radioresistance for space is an important task, which comes into view with the recent successes in the space industry. Currently, all radioprotective drugs can be divided into two large groups differing in their effectiveness depending on the type of exposure. The first of these is radioprotectors, highly effective for pulsed, and some types of relatively short exposure to irradiation. The second group consists of long-acting radioprotectors. These drugs are effective for prolonged and fractionated irradiation. They also protect against impulse exposure to ionizing radiation, but to a lesser extent than short-acting radioprotectors. Creating a database on radioprotectors is a necessity dictated by the modern development of science and technology. We have created an open database, Radioprotectors.org, containing an up-to-date list of substances with proven radioprotective properties. All radioprotectors are annotated with relevant chemical and biological information, including transcriptomic data, and can be filtered according to their properties. Additionally, the performed transcriptomics analysis has revealed specific transcriptomic profiles of radioprotectors, which should facilitate the search for potent radioprotectors.

Spontaneous γH2AX foci in human dermal fibroblasts in relation to proliferation activity and aging

We assessed the effects of donor age on clonogenicity, proliferative potential, and spontaneous γH2AX foci in the proliferating (Ki67 +) and senescent (SA β-gal +) cultures of skin fibroblasts isolated from 34 donors of different age (23-82 years). Here, we demonstrated that neither the colony forming effectiveness of proliferating (Ki67+) fraction of the fibroblasts nor the average number of γH2AX foci of the same fraction does not depend on the age of the donor. The correlation between the number of γH2AX foci and the donor's age was reliable in quiescent (Ki67-) cells. The average number of γH2AX foci in quiescent fibroblasts of donors older than 68 years was about two times higher than in the same cells of up to 30 years old donors. The number of γH2AX foci demonstrated a statistically significant positive correlation with the fraction of proliferating cells in fibroblast cultures. On average, proliferating cells have twice as many the γH2AX foci in comparison with the quiescent cells. Within a population of proliferating (Ki67+) cells, the degree of senescence correlated with a relative declining of constitutive γH2AX foci number, whereas in the population of quiescent (Ki67-) cells, it was proportional to augmenting the number of the γH2AX foci. Our data on a statistically significant (p=0.001) correlation between the age of the donor and the number of constitutive γH2AX foci in quiescent cells, could point out the ongoing DNA-damage response due in the maintenance of the senescent state of cells.

Genome-Protecting Compounds as Potential Geroprotectors

Throughout life, organisms are exposed to various exogenous and endogenous factors that cause DNA damages and somatic mutations provoking genomic instability. At a young age, compensatory mechanisms of genome protection are activated to prevent phenotypic and functional changes. However, the increasing stress and age-related deterioration in the functioning of these mechanisms result in damage accumulation, overcoming the functional threshold. This leads to aging and the development of age-related diseases. There are several ways to counteract these changes: 1) prevention of DNA damage through stimulation of antioxidant and detoxification systems, as well as transition metal chelation; 2) regulation of DNA methylation, chromatin structure, non-coding RNA activity and prevention of nuclear architecture alterations; 3) improving DNA damage response and repair; 4) selective removal of damaged non-functional and senescent cells. In the article, we have reviewed data about the effects of various trace elements, vitamins, polyphenols, terpenes, and other phytochemicals, as well as a number of synthetic pharmacological substances in these ways. Most of the compounds demonstrate the geroprotective potential and increase the lifespan in model organisms. However, their genome-protecting effects are non-selective and often are conditioned by hormesis. Consequently, the development of selective drugs targeting genome protection is an advanced direction.

Terpenoids as Potential Geroprotectors

Terpenes and terpenoids are the largest groups of plant secondary metabolites. However, unlike polyphenols, they are rarely associated with geroprotective properties. Here we evaluated the conformity of the biological effects of terpenoids with the criteria of geroprotectors, including primary criteria (lifespan-extending effects in model organisms, improvement of aging biomarkers, low toxicity, minimal adverse effects, improvement of the quality of life) and secondary criteria (evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of action, reproducibility of the effects on different models, prevention of age-associated diseases, increasing of stress-resistance). The number of substances that demonstrate the greatest compliance with both primary and secondary criteria of geroprotectors were found among different classes of terpenoids. Thus, terpenoids are an underestimated source of potential geroprotectors that can effectively influence the mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases.

THU0506 LONG-TERM EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF CANAKINUMAB AS A SECOND BIOLOGIC AFTER TOCILIZUMAB IN CHILDREN WITH EARLY AND LATE JIA WITH ACTIVE SYSTEMIC FEATURES

Background:

Canakinumab (CAN) is often used as second biologics in juvenile idiopathic arthritis with active systemic features (sJIA). However, there are little information about its long-term efficacy and safety.

Objectives:

To evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of CAN as a second biologics after tocilizumab (TOC) in sJIA patients depending on the duration of the disease.

Methods:

Thirty-one patients were enrolled in this study: the group of early sJIA (with duration shorter than 2 years, 19 patients) and the group of late sJIA (with duration longer than 2 years, 12 patients). At the baseline, information was collected on the characteristics of the onset of the disease, previous therapy and its success. At each visit at least 1 time per year clinical and laboratory characteristics of sJIA severity were assessed. Response to therapy was assessed using the ACRPedi 30/50/70/90 criteria and the C.Wallace criteria for inactive disease (WID) and clinical remission.

Results:

The most common reason for withdrawal of previous TOC was secondary ineffectiveness (22 cases, 71%); in 6 cases (19.4%) allergic reaction was observed; in two cases (6.5%) primary non-effectiveness appeared; and in one case (3.2%) there was marked infusion reaction.

At CAN initiation, sJIA activity was as follows: 15 (12: 23) for JADAS-71; 45 (36.5: 72) and 58 (45: 81) for physician’s and patient’s global assessment VAS; and 0.25 (0: 0.62) for the CHAQ disability index.

After 12-month treatment, 22 (71%) patients reached WID: 21 on CAN therapy and 1 – after CAN withdrawal due to administrative reason and stable WID. ACR50/70/90 response was achieved by 84.2%/84.2%/64.7% patients in early arthritis group and in 83.3%/75%/75% patients in late arthritis group (p=0.792).

However, 42.1% of patients with early sJIA achieved remission in the first 1.5 years without any further relapse during all the studied period and only 16.7% of patients with late arthritis (p=0.239). In multivariable analysis, it was found that age of sJIA onset (OR (2.5-97.5 CI) 0.353 (0.13 - 0.72), p=0.015), number of joints with active arthritis at sJIA onset (2.308 (1.26-5.73), p=0.025), and JADAS-71 at sJIA onset (0.664 (0.44-0.88), p=0.016) were associated with successful treatment with rapid achievement of stable remission.

During the 76.7 patient-years follow-up period, 18 of 31 (58.1%) patients were able to achieve a stable clinical remission and 27 (87.1%) – WID. Two patients have achieved successfully drug-off remission. Serious adverse event (SAE) was reported in one (3.2%) patient (enteritis).

Conclusion:

Long-term canakinumab therapy proved to be effective and safe as a second biologics after tocilizumab for any duration of the disease. However, patients with early arthritis are more likely to quickly achieve stable remission without further relapse. Younger onset of sJIA with polyarthritis involvement and low disease activity are predictors of rapid and stable remission.

Disclosure of Interests:

Ekaterina Alexeeva Grant/research support from: Roche, Pfizer, Centocor, Novartis, Speakers bureau: Roche, Novartis, Pfizer., Elizaveta Krekhova: None declared, Tatyana Dvoryakovskaya: None declared, Ksenia Isaeva: None declared, Aleksandra Chomakhidze: None declared, Evgeniya Chistyakova: None declared, Olga Lomakina: None declared, Rina Denisova: None declared, Anna Mamutova: None declared, Anna Fetisova: None declared, Marina Gautier: None declared, Dariya Vankova: None declared, Meyri Shingarova: None declared, Alina Alshevskaya: None declared, Andrey Moskalev: None declared, Ivan Kriulin: None declared

FRI0464 GENOTYPING AND PHENOTYPING PATTERNS IN PATIENTS WITH CAPS IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Background:

Cryopyrine-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) are a group of rare congenital auto-inflammatory diseases (AID) that include diseases such as familial cold auto-inflammatory syndrome (FCAS), Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS), and CINCA/NOMID syndrome. At present, there are limited data on demographic and clinical features of children with CAPS in Russia.

Objectives:

To reveal demographic, genotype and phenotype characteristics in CAPS patients at the National Medical Research Center of Children`s health, Moscow, Russia.

Methods:

Retrospective study included 12 patients (7 females, 58.3%) with CAPS confirmed by next generation sequencing (NGS). Median age of disease onset was 5.7 (interquartile range (IQR) 0.5:12.8) years. Characteristics of disease onset as well as dynamics of disease activity during long-term treatment were evaluated.

Results:

At the onset, systemic features were as follows: fever in 11 (91.6%) patients, rash in 8 (66.7%), hepatosplenomegaly in 7 (58.3%) patients, and lymphadenopathy in 6 (50%). Active arthritis in the onset of the disease was in 9/12 patients (75%), presented by polyarthritis in 7/9 (77.8%), and oligoarthritis in 2/9 (22.2%). Two patients (16.7%) had cataract, one (8.3%) had bilateral uveitis, and one (8.3%) had optic atrophy. Sensorineural hearing loss was observed only in 3/12 (25%). Hydrocephalus was detected in 3/12 (25%). Delayed mental and psycho-speech development was observed in 6/12 (50%) patients. In 3/12 (25%), the development of MAS was recorded.

All patients had nucleotide variants inNLRP3gene. According to NGS results and clinical characteristics, 8/12 (66.7%) patients were diagnosed with MWS and 4/12 (33.3%) had CINCA/NOMID syndrome. In children with MWS, heterozygous variantc.2113C>AinNLRP3gene was the most common (5/8 (62.5%) patients). One of 8 (12.5%) patients with novel heterozygous variantc.2861C>Twas detected; also one child (12.5%) have heterozygous variantc.598G>Aand one (12.5%) – heterozygous variantc.943A>G. Four patients with CINCA/NOMID syndrome also had heterozygous variants inNLRP3gene:c.598G>A,c.2173C>A,c.1991T>Candc.796C>T.

Prior to genetic testing, 12/12 (100%) patients received NSAIDs; 6/12 (50%) were treated with oral glucocorticoids (GC), 3/12 (25%) – with intravenous GC, 2/12 (22.2%) – with methotrexate. Biologics treatment included: 5/12 (41.7%) CAN, 4/12 (33.3%) tocilizumab, and 1/12 (8.3%) etanercept. After genetic testing, 7/12 (58.3%) patients were successfully switched to CAN. Only 1/12 (8.3%) child with MWS developed secondary inefficiency on CAN treatment.

Conclusion:

Systemic manifestations were detected in 91.6% of children, while active arthritis was observed in 75% of patients, which can cause difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment of CAPS. The effectiveness of canakinumab therapy was estimated in 91.6% of patients. The most frequent variant of theNLRP3gene in MWS wasc.2113C>A. In patients with CINCA/NOMID syndrome all nucleotide variants were individual.

Disclosure of Interests:

Meyri Shingarova: None declared, Ekaterina Alexeeva Grant/research support from: Roche, Pfizer, Centocor, Novartis, Speakers bureau: Roche, Novartis, Pfizer., Tatyana Dvoryakovskaya: None declared, Kirill Savostyanov: None declared, Aleksander Pushkov: None declared, Evgeniya Chistyakova: None declared, Ksenia Isaeva: None declared, Aleksandra Chomakhidze: None declared, Olga Lomakina: None declared, Rina Denisova: None declared, Anna Mamutova: None declared, Anna Fetisova: None declared, Marina Gautier: None declared, Dariya Vankova: None declared, Elizaveta Krekhova: None declared, Ivan Kriulin: None declared, Natalia Zhurkova: None declared, Rustam Tepaev: None declared, Alina Alshevskaya: None declared, Andrey Moskalev: None declared

AB0971 LONG-TERM EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF CANAKINUMAB IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS: RESULTS FROM A SINGLE-CENTER STUDY

Background:

Results from various phase 3 clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of canakinumab to treat patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthirtis (sJIA). However, limited information is available on the long-term efficacy and safety of this drug to treat children with sJIA.

Objectives:

To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of canakinumab in patients with sJIA treated at the National Medical Research Center of Children`s health, Moscow, Russia.

Methods:

This was a prospective, single-center study that included canakinumab (CAN)-naive patients diagnosed with sJIA following the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) criteria and start receiving CAN treatment from 10/2012 to 03/2016. Patients included in this study also participated, for defined periods of time, in the clinical trialNCT02296424. Patients with active disease started treatment with canakinumab 4 mg/kg. A treat-to-target approach was used, canakinumab was discontinued in patients on clinical remission, either following theNCT02296424protocol or by investigator’s decision, and re-introduced in those patients who experienced a relapse afterwards. Disease characteristics and demographics were recorded at the time of diagnosis and initiation of treatment (study entry). Disease activity was evaluated periodically using the adaptedJIAACR core set measures, and percentages of patients with inactive disease and on clinical remission were calculated using the sJIA ACR criteria. Response to treatment was also evaluated by calculating modified ACR responses and JADAS-71 scores. Safety was assessed by collecting and classifying adverse events (AEs) at each visit.

Results:

Nineteen patients presenting with sJIA were included in this study, with a median age at treatment initiation of 9.6 (interquartile range, IQR 6.4-11.1) years and a median disease duration of 4.4 (IQR 1.2-7.0) years. Most patients (17/19) had been treated previously with one or more biologic agents for sJIA. As of 23 December of 2019, the median time of follow up was 55.5 (47-71.7) months, with all patients being followed for at least 3.5 years and 5 patients followed for more than 7 years. As it is shown in figure 1, most patients (16/19) were on clinical remission one year after starting therapy, and this effect was sustained at year 3.5 (17/19). ACR 90 responses were observed in 84.2% (16/19) patients at one year and 94.7% (18/19) patients at 3.5 years, whereas JADAS-71 scores decreased from 15 (14: 28.5) at baseline to 0 (0: 0) at one year with 4/19 patients maintained with JADAS-71 >0); at 3.5 years, only one patient had JADAS-71>0 (0.47, due to slight ESR increasing). Concerning the 5 patients with >7 years of follow up, three of them were in clinical remission for more than 3 years, including one who had discontinued therapy more than 2 years. Another patient had a relapse after attempting drug discontinuation, but recovered clinical remission after reintroducing canakinumab, and remained in this state for the last two years. The remaining patient has persistent low levels of disease activity during the last four years of follow up. AEs required hospitalization were reported in 36.8% (7/19) patients.

Conclusion:

Sustained clinical remission was observed in most patients with sJIA treated with canakinumab for up to 7 years, with no new or unexpected adverse events reported.

Disclosure of Interests:

Ekaterina Alexeeva Grant/research support from: Roche, Pfizer, Centocor, Novartis, Speakers bureau: Roche, Novartis, Pfizer., Elizaveta Krekhova: None declared, Tatyana Dvoryakovskaya: None declared, Ksenia Isaeva: None declared, Aleksandra Chomakhidze: None declared, Evgeniya Chistyakova: None declared, Olga Lomakina: None declared, Rina Denisova: None declared, Anna Mamutova: None declared, Anna Fetisova: None declared, Marina Gautier: None declared, Dariya Vankova: None declared, Meyri Shingarova: None declared, Ivan Kriulin: None declared, Alina Alshevskaya: None declared, Andrey Moskalev: None declared

FRI0458 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF PCV13 VACCINATION IN JIA PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC MANIFESTATIONS ON TOCILIZUMAB AND CANAKINUMAB TREATMENT

Background:

The need for continuous use of immunosuppressive drugs leads to increased risk of developing infectious diseases in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis with systemic manifestation (sJIA). Questions about choosing the optimal vaccination time and the effect of different classes of therapy on vaccination effectiveness are still open.

Objectives:

To study clinical and laboratory effectiveness of PCV13-vaccination in children with sJIA on tocilizumab (TOC) and canakinumab (CAN) treatment depending on disease activity stage.

Methods:

Prospective cohort study included 2 groups of sJIA patients: in stable remission (Remission group, n=53) receiving CAN (n=10) or TOC (n=43) treatment, and in acute stage of disease (Acute group, n=25) which started to received CAN (n=7) or TOC (n=18) either before vaccination (Acute Treated Before subgroup, n=17) or after vaccination (Acute Treated After subgroup, n=8). 0.5 ml of the 13-valent PCV was administered once subcutaneously. Efficacy was evaluated by achieving of protection level of anti-pneumococcal antibodies after 4 weeks and by clinical indicators after 6 month follow-up: frequency of acute respiratory infections, frequency of antibiotics treatment courses, frequency of temporary withdrawal of biologics treatment due to severe infections. Frequency of events were counted per patients-years.

Results:

Four weeks after vaccination, protection level of anti-pneumococcal antibodies was achieved by for 36 (67.9%) patients in Remission group, 16 (64%) patients in Acute group (intergroup p=0.932), and in 8 (47.06%) patients in Acute Treated Before subgroup and in 8 (100%) patients in Acute Treated After subgroup (intersubgroup p=0.022). PCV13 have shown high clinical effectiveness in both Remission group and Acute group. Reducing of acute respiratory infections frequency was as follows: from 4.57 to 2.15 episodes per patient-year in Remission group (p<0.001) and from 4.32 to 1.28 per patient-year in Acute group (p<0.001).

Duration of antibiotics treatment reduced from 2.31 to 0.81 weeks per 1 patient-year in Remission group (p<0.001) from 1.97 to 0.74 in Acute group (p<0.001). Among patients who were previously treated with biologics, frequency of therapy withdrawal reduced from 4.34 to 2.42 per patient-year in Remission group (p<0.001) and from 3.53 to 1.18 in Acute Treated Before subgroup (p=0.002). The incidence of reactions to vaccination of PCV13 (local hyperemia, pain, subfebrile temperature) was similar in groups (22 (41.5%) for Remission group and 7 (28%) for Acute group, p= 0.319).

Conclusion:

Vaccination with the 13-valent PCV has demonstrated high clinical efficacy and safety in children with sJIA both in the acute stage of the disease and during remission. Vaccination of patients in acute stage of sJIA before treatment has advantages over vaccination during remission or after prolonged immunosuppressive therapy in terms of achieving an adequate vaccine response.

Disclosure of Interests:

Dariya Vankova: None declared, Ekaterina Alexeeva Grant/research support from: Roche, Pfizer, Centocor, Novartis, Speakers bureau: Roche, Novartis, Pfizer., Tatyana Dvoryakovskaya: None declared, Ksenia Isaeva: None declared, Aleksandra Chomakhidze: None declared, Rina Denisova: None declared, Anna Mamutova: None declared, Anna Fetisova: None declared, Marina Gautier: None declared, Elizaveta Krekhova: None declared, Meyri Shingarova: None declared, Ivan Kriulin: None declared, Anastasiya Kontorovich: None declared, Olga Galkina: None declared, Tatyana Radygina: None declared, Irina Zubkova: None declared, Natalia Tkachenko: None declared, Yanina Orlova: None declared, Mariya Kurdup: None declared, Anna Ismailova: None declared, Alina Alshevskaya: None declared, Andrey Moskalev: None declared, Olga Lomakina: None declared

THU0502 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF SECUKINUMAB TREATMENT IN JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS PATIENTS

Background:

Anti-IL-17A biologic drug secukinumab (SEC) proved to be effective for treatment of psoriatic arthritis. However data about its efficacy in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are restricted to off-label experience.

Objectives:

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of SEC in JIA patients in the National Medical Research Center of Children`s health, Moscow, Russia.

Methods:

25 patients started SEC therapy from 12/2017 to 11/2019 in single-center prospective study. 3 patients withdrew treatment: two patients (8%) due to AE (1 - allergy followed by MAS after first injection and 1 – leukopenia) and one patient (4%) – after 10 months of treatment due to secondary inefficacy. Among others, 14 patients which were successfully treated for 6 months or longer were included into analysis. At the baseline, information was collected on the characteristics of the onset of the disease, previous therapy and its success. Patients were monitored at least 1 time per year. At each visit, clinical and laboratory characteristics of JIA severity were assessed. Response to therapy was assessed using the ACRPedi 30/50/70/90 criteria, the C.Wallace criteria for inactive disease (WID) and clinical remission. AEs were assessed at each visit.

Results:

Among 14 patients received SEC for at least 6 months, 7 (50%) have enthesitis-related arthritis, one (7.1%) – persistent oligoarthritis, 4 (28.6%) – RF-negative polyarthritis, 2 (14.3%) – psoriatic arthritis. 6 patients (42.9%) were HLA-B27 positive. Median age of JIA onset was 8.8 (IQR 5:11), age at SEC initiation – 14 (9.9:16.1), disease duration before SEC start – 3.3 (2.7:5.8). 7 (50%) were biologics-naïve, 2 (14.3%) were previously treated with anti-TNF drug, 5 (35.7%) have 2 or more different biologics in anamnesis.

SEC demonstrated high efficacy after the first injection resulting in JADAS-71 decreasing in all patients by median 4.3 (1.6:7.1) points and 7/7/5/2 patients (50%/50%/35.7%/14.3%) achieved ACR Pedi 30/50/70/90 response.

After 6 months of treatment, WID was achieved by 7 (50%) patients, JADAS-71 decreased from baseline level 15.2 (12.7:20.5) to 0.8 (0:4.2) points, and 14/13/11/9 patients (100%/92.9%/78.6%/64.3%) achieved ACR Pedi 30/50/70/90 response. One patients who had active uveitis at SEC initiation remained with subactive uveitis; one patient with uveitis remission had not flare episodes during follow-up period. One patient (7.1%) had successfully treated evaluation of transaminases after 4-th injection.

Conclusion:

Secukinumab showed high effectiveness and safety in children with JIA and can be further used both as a first-line drug in JIA associated with HLA-B27, and as an alternative drug for the ineffectiveness of the standard treatment regimen with biologics. No serious adverse events were registered during follow-up period.

Disclosure of Interests:

Ivan Kriulin: None declared, Ekaterina Alexeeva Grant/research support from: Roche, Pfizer, Centocor, Novartis, Speakers bureau: Roche, Novartis, Pfizer., Tatyana Dvoryakovskaya: None declared, Ksenia Isaeva: None declared, Aleksandra Chomakhidze: None declared, Evgeniya Chistyakova: None declared, Olga Lomakina: None declared, Rina Denisova: None declared, Anna Mamutova: None declared, Anna Fetisova: None declared, Marina Gautier: None declared, Dariya Vankova: None declared, Elizaveta Krekhova: None declared, Meyri Shingarova: None declared, Alina Alshevskaya: None declared, Andrey Moskalev: None declared

Transplantation of ACE2- Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improves the Outcome of Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia

A coronavirus (HCoV-19) has caused the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, China. Preventing and reversing the cytokine storm may be the key to save the patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to possess a comprehensive powerful immunomodulatory function. This study aims to investigate whether MSC transplantation improves the outcome of 7 enrolled patients with COVID-19 pneumonia in Beijing YouAn Hospital, China, from Jan 23, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020. The clinical outcomes, as well as changes of inflammatory and immune function levels and adverse effects of 7 enrolled patients were assessed for 14 days after MSC injection. MSCs could cure or significantly improve the functional outcomes of seven patients without observed adverse effects. The pulmonary function and symptoms of these seven patients were significantly improved in 2 days after MSC transplantation. Among them, two common and one severe patient were recovered and discharged in 10 days after treatment. After treatment, the peripheral lymphocytes were increased, the C-reactive protein decreased, and the overactivated cytokine-secreting immune cells CXCR3+CD4+ T cells, CXCR3+CD8+ T cells, and CXCR3+ NK cells disappeared in 3-6 days. In addition, a group of CD14+CD11c+CD11b^mid regulatory DC cell population dramatically increased. Meanwhile, the level of TNF-α was significantly decreased, while IL-10 increased in MSC treatment group compared to the placebo control group. Furthermore, the gene expression profile showed MSCs were ACE2^- and TMPRSS2^- which indicated MSCs are free from COVID-19 infection. Thus, the intravenous transplantation of MSCs was safe and effective for treatment in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, especially for the patients in critically severe condition.

The challenges of estimating biological age

A comparison of nine different approaches over a period of 20 years reveals the most promising indicators for biological age.

Overexpression of CBS and CSE genes affects lifespan, stress resistance and locomotor activity in Drosophila melanogaster

Recent experimental studies highlighted the role of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in aging and longevity. The cystathionine ß-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) are the key enzymes responsible for H₂S production. Here we investigated the geroprotective effects of CSE and CBS overexpression in Drosophila. Overexpression of CSE did not affect a lifespan and decrease (mitochondrial form of CSE) or increase (cytoplasmic form of CSE) age dynamics of locomotor activity, while overexpression of CBS increase median (by 12.5%) and maximum (by 6.9%) lifespan and locomotor activity. Increasing of both CSE and CBS expression levels resulted in thermotolerance, but the resistance to combination of arid and food-free conditions decreased. The resistance to oxidative stress (paraquat) was not affected in flies with overexpression of CBS and cytoplasmic CSE, but decreased in flies overexpressing mitochondrial form of CSE. Thus, transgene overexpression of the CSE and CBS in Drosophila induce similar effects on stress-resistance and locomotor activity, however lifespan extending effect was revealed for CBS overexpression only.

The role of DNA repair genes in radiation-induced adaptive response in Drosophila melanogaster is differential and conditional

Studies in human and mammalian cell cultures have shown that induction of DNA repair mechanisms is required for the formation of stimulation effects of low doses of ionizing radiation, named "hormesis". Nevertheless, the role of cellular defense mechanisms in the formation of radiation-induced hormesis at the level of whole organism remains poorly studied. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of genes involved in different mechanisms and stages of DNA repair in radioadaptive response and radiation hormesis by lifespan parameters in Drosophila melanogaster. We studied genes that control DNA damage sensing (D-Gadd45, Hus1, mnk), nucleotide excision repair (mei-9, mus210, Mus209), base excision repair (Rrp1), DNA double-stranded break repair by homologous recombination (Brca2, spn-B, okr) and non-homologous end joining (Ku80, WRNexo), and the Mus309 gene that participates in several mechanisms of DNA repair. The obtained results demonstrate that in flies with mutations in studied genes radioadaptive response and radiation hormesis are absent or appear to a lesser extent than in wild-type Canton-S flies. Chronic exposure of γ-radiation in a low dose during pre-imaginal stages of development leads to an increase in expression of the studied DNA repair genes, which is maintained throughout the lifespan of flies. However, the activation of conditional ubiquitous overexpression of DNA repair genes does not induce resistance to an acute exposure to γ-radiation and reinforces its negative impact.

The Neuronal Overexpression of Gclc in Drosophila melanogaster Induces Life Extension With Longevity-Associated Transcriptomic Changes in the Thorax

Some effects of aging in animals are tissue-specific. In D. melanogaster neuronal overexpression of Gclc increases lifespan and improves certain physiological parameters associated with health benefits such as locomotor activity, circadian rhythmicity, and stress resistance. Our previous transcriptomic analyses of Drosophila heads, primarily composed of neuronal tissue, revealed significant changes in expression levels of genes involved in aging-related signaling pathways (Jak-STAT, MAPK, FOXO, Notch, mTOR, TGF-beta), translation, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, proteasomal degradation, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis, regulation of circadian rhythms, differentiation of neurons, synaptic plasticity, and transmission. Considering that various tissues age differently and age-related gene expression changes are tissue-specific, we investigated the effects of neuronal Gclc overexpression on gene expression levels in the imago thorax, which is primarily composed of muscles. A total of 58 genes were found to be differentially expressed between thoraces of control and Gclc overexpressing flies. The Gclc level demonstrated associations with expression of genes involved in the circadian rhythmicity, the genes in categories related to the muscle system process and the downregulation of genes involved in proteolysis. Most of the functional categories altered by Gclc overexpression related to metabolism including Drug metabolism, Metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, Glutathione metabolism, Starch and sucrose metabolism, Citrate cycle (TCA cycle), One carbon pool by folate. Thus, the transcriptomic changes caused by neuron-specific Gclc overexpression in the thorax were less pronounced than in the head and affected pathways also differed from previous results. Although these pathways don't belong to the canonical longevity pathways, we suggest that they could participate in the delay of aging of Gclc overexpressing flies.

Effects of unpaired 1 gene overexpression on the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster

Background

The JAK/STAT signaling pathway is involved in many aging-related cellular functions. However, effects of overexpression of genes controlling JAK/STAT signal transduction on longevity of model organisms have not been studied. Here we evaluate the effect of overexpression of the unpaired 1 (upd1) gene, which encodes an activating ligand for JAK/STAT pathway, on the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster.

Results

Overexpression of upd1 in the intestine caused a pronounced shortening of the median lifespan by 54.1–18.9%, and the age of 90% mortality by 40.9–19.1% in males and females, respectively. In fat body and in nervous system of male flies, an induction of upd1 overexpression increased the age of 90% mortality and median lifespan, respectively. An increase in upd1 expression enhanced mRNA levels of the JAK/STAT target genes domeless and Socs36E.

Conclusions

Conditional overexpression of upd1 in different tissues of Drosophila imago induces pro-aging or pro-longevity effects in tissue-dependent manner. The effects of upd1 overexpression on lifespan are accompanied by the transcription activation of genes for the components of JAK/STAT pathway.

Artificial intelligence for aging and longevity research: Recent advances and perspectives

The applications of modern artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms within the field of aging research offer tremendous opportunities. Aging is an almost universal unifying feature possessed by all living organisms, tissues, and cells. Modern deep learning techniques used to develop age predictors offer new possibilities for formerly incompatible dynamic and static data types. AI biomarkers of aging enable a holistic view of biological processes and allow for novel methods for building causal models-extracting the most important features and identifying biological targets and mechanisms. Recent developments in generative adversarial networks (GANs) and reinforcement learning (RL) permit the generation of diverse synthetic molecular and patient data, identification of novel biological targets, and generation of novel molecular compounds with desired properties and geroprotectors. These novel techniques can be combined into a unified, seamless end-to-end biomarker development, target identification, drug discovery and real world evidence pipeline that may help accelerate and improve pharmaceutical research and development practices. Modern AI is therefore expected to contribute to the credibility and prominence of longevity biotechnology in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, and to the convergence of countless areas of research.

Circadian clock genes' overexpression in Drosophila alters diet impact on lifespan

Diet restriction is one of the most accurately confirmed interventions which extend lifespan. Genes coding circadian core clock elements are known to be the key controllers of cell metabolism especially in aging aspect. The molecular mechanisms standing behind the phenomenon of diet-restriction-mediated life extension are connected to circadian clock either. Here we investigate the effects of protein-rich and low-protein diets on lifespan observed in fruit flies overexpressing core clock genes (cry, per, Clk, cyc and tim). The majority of core clock genes being upregulated in peripheral tissues (muscles and fat body) on protein-rich diet significantly decrease the lifespan of male fruit flies from 5 to 61%. Nevertheless, positive increments of median lifespan were observed in both sexes, males overexpressing cry in fat body lived 20% longer on poor diet. Overexpression of per also on poor medium resulted in life extension in female fruit flies. Diet restriction reduces mortality caused by overexpression of core clock genes. Cox-regression model revealed that diet restriction seriously decreases mortality risks of flies which overexpress core clock genes. The hazard ratios are lower for flies overexpressing clock genes in fat body relatively to muscle-specific overexpression. The present work suggests a phenomenological view of how two peripheral circadian oscillators modify effects of rich and poor diets on lifespan and hazard ratios.

Neuron-specific overexpression of core clock genes improves stress-resistance and extends lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster

Gene expression is much altered in aging. We observed age-dependent decline of core clock genes' expression in the whole body of the fruit fly. We hypothesized that inducible overexpression of clock genes (cry, per, tim, cyc and Clk) in the nervous system can improve healthspan of D. melanogaster. We studied the lifespan of transgenic Drosophila and showed life extension for cry, per, cyc and tim genes. It was also the significant positive changes in the stress-resistance of flies overexpressing core clock genes in conditions of hyperthermia, hyperoxia, starvation and persistent lighting. The overexpression of per and cry restore circadian rhythms of locomotor activity. The results presented support the hypotheses that the compensation of circadian oscillator genes expression can improve the healthspan in Drosophila melanogaster.

Vive la radiorésistance!: converging research in radiobiology and biogerontology to enhance human radioresistance for deep space exploration and colonization

While many efforts have been made to pave the way toward human space colonization, little consideration has been given to the methods of protecting spacefarers against harsh cosmic and local radioactive environments and the high costs associated with protection from the deleterious physiological effects of exposure to high-Linear energy transfer (high-LET) radiation. Herein, we lay the foundations of a roadmap toward enhancing human radioresistance for the purposes of deep space colonization and exploration. We outline future research directions toward the goal of enhancing human radioresistance, including upregulation of endogenous repair and radioprotective mechanisms, possible leeways into gene therapy in order to enhance radioresistance via the translation of exogenous and engineered DNA repair and radioprotective mechanisms, the substitution of organic molecules with fortified isoforms, and methods of slowing metabolic activity while preserving cognitive function. We conclude by presenting the known associations between radioresistance and longevity, and articulating the position that enhancing human radioresistance is likely to extend the healthspan of human spacefarers as well.

Transcriptome analysis reveals mechanisms of geroprotective effects of fucoxanthin in Drosophila

Background

We have previously showed that the carotenoid fucoxanthin can increase the lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. However, the molecular mechanisms of the geroprotective effect of fucoxanthin have not been studied so far.

Results

Here, we studied the effects of fucoxanthin on the Drosophila aging process at the molecular and the whole organism levels. At the organismal level, fucoxanthin increased the median lifespan and had a positive effect on fecundity, fertility, intestinal barrier function, and nighttime sleep. Transcriptome analysis revealed 57 differentially expressed genes involved in 17 KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways. Among the most represented molecular pathways induced by fucoxanthin, a significant portion is related to longevity, including MAPK, mTOR, Wnt, Notch, and Hippo signaling pathways, autophagy, translation, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, apoptosis, immune response, neurogenesis, sleep, and response to DNA damage.

Conclusions

Life-extending effects of fucoxanthin are associated with differential expression of longevity-associated genes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-4471-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.