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Nga HT, Nguyen TL, Yi HS. T-Cell Senescence in Human Metabolic Diseases. Diabetes Metab J 2024; 48:864-881. [PMID: 39192822 DOI: 10.4093/dmj.2024.0140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunosenescence denotes a state of dysregulated immune cell function characterized by a confluence of factors, including arrested cell cycle, telomere shortening, markers of cellular stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of proteostasis, epigenetic reprogramming, and secretion of proinflammatory mediators. This state primarily manifests during the aging process but can also be induced in various pathological conditions, encompassing chronic viral infections, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders. Age-associated immune system alterations extend to innate and adaptive immune cells, with T-cells exhibiting heightened susceptibility to immunosenescence. In particular, senescent T-cells have been identified in the context of metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Recent investigations suggest a direct link between T-cell senescence, inflammation, and insulin resistance. The perturbation of biological homeostasis by senescent T-cells appears intricately linked to the initiation and progression of metabolic diseases, particularly through inflammation-mediated insulin resistance. Consequently, senescent T-cells are emerging as a noteworthy therapeutic target. This review aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between metabolic diseases and T-cell senescence, providing insights into the potential roles of senescent T-cells in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders. Through a comprehensive examination of current research findings, this review seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between immunosenescence and metabolic health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ha Thi Nga
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Immune System, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Thi Linh Nguyen
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Immune System, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Hyon-Seung Yi
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Immune System, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
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2
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Chen LA, Boyle K. The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease in the Elderly. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 2024; 26:217-230. [PMID: 38642272 PMCID: PMC11282161 DOI: 10.1007/s11894-024-00932-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Growing evidence supports the contribution of age in the composition and function of the gut microbiome, with specific findings associated with health in old age and longevity. RECENT FINDINGS Current studies have associated certain microbiota, such as Butyricimonas, Akkermansia, and Odoribacter, with healthy aging and the ability to survive into extreme old age. Furthermore, emerging clinical and pre-clinical research have shown promising mechanisms for restoring a healthy microbiome in elderly populations through various interventions such as fecal microbiota transplant (FMT), dietary interventions, and exercise programs. Despite several conceptually exciting interventional studies, the field of microbiome research in the elderly remains limited. Specifically, large longitudinal studies are needed to better understand causative relationships between the microbiome and healthy aging. Additionally, individualized approaches to microbiome interventions based on patients' co-morbidities and the underlying functional capacity of their microbiomes are needed to achieve optimal results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Ann Chen
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
| | - Kaitlyn Boyle
- Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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3
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Kabeerdoss J, Danda S, Srivastava P, Kerkhale R, Kumar TS, Goel R, Danda D. A pilot study of childhood-onset Takayasu arteritis using whole exome sequencing suggests oligogenic inheritance involving classical complement, collagen, and autoinflammatory pathways. Clin Rheumatol 2024; 43:2607-2613. [PMID: 38869681 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-07017-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease affecting the aorta and its branches. Paediatric TA (pTA) may present from 6 months after birth till the adolescent age group. Genetics and pathogenesis of pTA are not fully understood. Earlier studies reported monogenic mutation in NOD2, XIAP, and STAT1 genes in patients with pTA. TA, a relatively rare disease, is more common in geographical pockets, including India. We hypothesized that South Asian patients with pTA, namely, those of Indian subcontinent origin, may have clinically relevant and unique pathogenic variants involving one or more genes, especially those linked to genetically driven vasculitic illnesses, including autoinflammatory pathologies. Children with pTA fulfilling EULAR/PRINTO/PReS classification criteria and presenting with clinical symptoms to the Paediatric Rheumatology clinic of Christian Medical College, Vellore, were included. Blood samples were collected after getting informed consent from parents or guardians and assent forms from children. DNA was extracted from whole blood using the Qiagen DNA extraction kit. Initially, the common variant in Indian population, namely, ADA2 c.139G > A; p.Gly47Arg, was screened, followed by whole exome sequencing. Fourteen children were recruited for the study. Median age of patients was 11 years (4 months-14 years) with a male-to-female ratio of 4:10. Distribution of angiographic subsets by Numano's classification of included children were as follows: type 5 (n = 7), type 4 (n = 5), and type 3 (n = 2). We identified novel variants in ten different genes. This include variants in genes of classical complement pathway, namely, C2, C3, C6, C7, and C9, and other genes, namely, CYBA, SH3BP2, GUCY2C, CTC1, COL5A1, and NLPR3. Two of 14 patients have heterozygous pathogenic variants; this implies that combination of heterozygous variants in C3 and COL5A1 might lead to disease development, suggesting digenic inheritance. One patient has a homozygous variant in CYBA. None of the patients were identified to have ADA2 variants. Whole exome sequencing reveals combination of rare variants in genes C3, COL5A1, and CYBA associated with disease development in children with Takayasu Arteritis. Key Points • We identified novel variants in genes of classical complement pathway, namely, C2, C3, C6, C7, and C9, and other genes, namely, CYBA, SH3BP2, GUCY2C, CTC1, COL5A1, and NLPR3. • Two of 14 patients have heterozygous pathogenic variants in C3 and COL5A1; this may have implications in disease development, suggesting digenic inheritance. • One patient has homozygous variant in CYBA. • None of the patients were identified to have ADA2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayakanthan Kabeerdoss
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Paediatric Biochemistry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India.
| | - Sumita Danda
- Department of Medical Genetics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Priyanka Srivastava
- Paediatric Genetic Metabolic Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Reena Kerkhale
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - T Sathish Kumar
- Department of Child Health, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ruchika Goel
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Debashish Danda
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
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4
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Won T, Song EJ, Kalinoski HM, Moslehi JJ, Čiháková D. Autoimmune Myocarditis, Old Dogs and New Tricks. Circ Res 2024; 134:1767-1790. [PMID: 38843292 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.124.323816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Autoimmunity significantly contributes to the pathogenesis of myocarditis, underscored by its increased frequency in autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus and polymyositis. Even in cases of myocarditis caused by viral infections, dysregulated immune responses contribute to pathogenesis. However, whether triggered by existing autoimmune conditions or viral infections, the precise antigens and immunologic pathways driving myocarditis remain incompletely understood. The emergence of myocarditis associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, commonly used for treating cancer, has afforded an opportunity to understand autoimmune mechanisms in myocarditis, with autoreactive T cells specific for cardiac myosin playing a pivotal role. Despite their self-antigen recognition, cardiac myosin-specific T cells can be present in healthy individuals due to bypassing the thymic selection stage. In recent studies, novel modalities in suppressing the activity of pathogenic T cells including cardiac myosin-specific T cells have proven effective in treating autoimmune myocarditis. This review offers an overview of the current understanding of heart antigens, autoantibodies, and immune cells as the autoimmune mechanisms underlying various forms of myocarditis, along with the latest updates on clinical management and prospects for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taejoon Won
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (T.W.)
| | - Evelyn J Song
- Section of Cardio-Oncology and Immunology, Division of Cardiology and the Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco (E.J.S., J.J.M.)
| | - Hannah M Kalinoski
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD (H.M.K., D.Č)
| | - Javid J Moslehi
- Section of Cardio-Oncology and Immunology, Division of Cardiology and the Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco (E.J.S., J.J.M.)
| | - Daniela Čiháková
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD (H.M.K., D.Č)
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (D.Č)
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5
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Sato Y, Tada M, Goronzy JJ, Weyand CM. Immune checkpoints in autoimmune vasculitis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2024; 38:101943. [PMID: 38599937 PMCID: PMC11366503 DOI: 10.1016/j.berh.2024.101943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a prototypic autoimmune disease with a highly selective tissue tropism for medium and large arteries. Extravascular GCA manifests with intense systemic inflammation and polymyalgia rheumatica; vascular GCA results in vessel wall damage and stenosis, causing tissue ischemia. Typical granulomatous infiltrates in affected arteries are composed of CD4+ T cells and hyperactivated macrophages, signifying the involvement of the innate and adaptive immune system. Lesional CD4+ T cells undergo antigen-dependent clonal expansion, but antigen-nonspecific pathways ultimately control the intensity and duration of pathogenic immunity. Patient-derived CD4+ T cells receive strong co-stimulatory signals through the NOTCH1 receptor and the CD28/CD80-CD86 pathway. In parallel, co-inhibitory signals, designed to dampen overshooting T cell immunity, are defective, leaving CD4+ T cells unopposed and capable of supporting long-lasting and inappropriate immune responses. Based on recent data, two inhibitory checkpoints are defective in GCA: the Programmed death-1 (PD-1)/Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) checkpoint and the CD96/CD155 checkpoint, giving rise to the "lost inhibition concept". Subcellular and molecular analysis has demonstrated trapping of the checkpoint ligands in the endoplasmic reticulum, creating PD-L1low CD155low antigen-presenting cells. Uninhibited CD4+ T cells expand, release copious amounts of the cytokine Interleukin (IL)-9, and differentiate into long-lived effector memory cells. These data place GCA and cancer on opposite ends of the co-inhibition spectrum, with cancer patients developing immune paralysis due to excessive inhibitory checkpoints and GCA patients developing autoimmunity due to nonfunctional inhibitory checkpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Sato
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Maria Tada
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Jorg J Goronzy
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Cornelia M Weyand
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA; Department of Cardiology, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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6
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Barberis M, Rojas López A. Metabolic imbalance driving immune cell phenotype switching in autoimmune disorders: Tipping the balance of T- and B-cell interactions. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1626. [PMID: 38500390 PMCID: PMC10948951 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The interplay between the immune system and the metabolic state of a cell is intricate. In all phases of an immune response, the corresponding metabolic changes shall occur to support its modulation, in addition to the signalling through the cytokine environment and immune receptor stimulation. While autoimmune disorders may develop because of a metabolic imbalance that modulates switching between T-cell phenotypes, the effects that the interaction between T and B cells have on one another's cellular metabolism are yet to be understood in disease context. Here, we propose a perspective which highlights the potential of targeting metabolism to modulate T- and B-cell subtypes populations as well as T-B and B-T cell interactions to successfully treat autoimmune disorders. Specifically, we envision how metabolic changes can tip the balance of immune cells interactions, through definite mechanisms in both health and disease, to explain phenotype switches of B and T cells. Within this scenario, we highlight targeting metabolism that link inflammation, immunometabolism, epigenetics and ageing, is critical to understand inflammatory disorders. The combination of treatments targeting immune cells that cause (T/B) cell phenotype imbalances, and the metabolic pathways involved, may increase the effectiveness of treatment of autoimmune disorders, and/or ameliorate their symptoms to improve patients' quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Barberis
- Molecular Systems BiologySchool of BiosciencesFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
- Centre for Mathematical and Computational Biology, CMCBUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
- Synthetic Systems Biology and Nuclear OrganizationSwammerdam Institute for Life SciencesUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Alejandra Rojas López
- Molecular Systems BiologySchool of BiosciencesFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
- Centre for Mathematical and Computational Biology, CMCBUniversity of SurreyGuildfordSurreyUK
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7
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Müller L, Di Benedetto S. Immunosenescence and Cytomegalovirus: Exploring Their Connection in the Context of Aging, Health, and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:753. [PMID: 38255826 PMCID: PMC10815036 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging induces numerous physiological alterations, with immunosenescence emerging as a pivotal factor. This phenomenon has attracted both researchers and clinicians, prompting profound questions about its implications for health and disease. Among the contributing factors, one intriguing actor in this complex interplay is human cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of the herpesvirus family. Latent CMV infection exerts a profound influence on the aging immune system, potentially contributing to age-related diseases. This review delves into the intricate relationship between immunosenescence and CMV, revealing how chronic viral infection impacts the aging immune landscape. We explore the mechanisms through which CMV can impact both the composition and functionality of immune cell populations and induce shifts in inflammatory profiles with aging. Moreover, we examine the potential role of CMV in pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, COVID-19, and Long COVID. This review underlines the importance of understanding the complex interplay between immunosenescence and CMV. It offers insights into the pathophysiology of aging and age-associated diseases, as well as COVID-19 outcomes among the elderly. By unraveling the connections between immunosenescence and CMV, we gain a deeper understanding of aging's remarkable journey and the profound role that viral infections play in transforming the human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Müller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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8
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Quinn KM, Vicencio DM, La Gruta NL. The paradox of aging: Aging-related shifts in T cell function and metabolism. Semin Immunol 2023; 70:101834. [PMID: 37659169 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
T cell survival, differentiation after stimulation, and function are intrinsically linked to distinct cellular metabolic states. The ability of T cells to readily transition between metabolic states enables flexibility to meet the changing energy demands defined by distinct effector states or T cell lineages. Immune aging is characterized, in part, by the loss of naïve T cells, accumulation of senescent T cells, severe dysfunction in memory phenotype T cells in particular, and elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, or 'inflammaging'. Here, we review our current understanding of the phenotypic and functional changes that occur with aging in T cells, and how they relate to metabolic changes in the steady state and after T cell activation. We discuss the apparent contradictions in the aging T cell phenotype - where enhanced differentiation states and metabolic profiles in the steady state can correspond to a diminished capacity to adapt metabolically and functionally after T cell activation. Finally, we discuss key recent studies that indicate the enormous potential for aged T cell metabolism to induce systemic inflammaging and organism-wide multimorbidity, resulting in premature death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie M Quinn
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia; Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniela M Vicencio
- Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Nicole L La Gruta
- Immunity Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
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9
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Antony IR, Wong BHS, Kelleher D, Verma NK. Maladaptive T-Cell Metabolic Fitness in Autoimmune Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:2541. [PMID: 37947619 PMCID: PMC10650071 DOI: 10.3390/cells12212541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune surveillance and adaptive immune responses, involving continuously circulating and tissue-resident T-lymphocytes, provide host defense against infectious agents and possible malignant transformation while avoiding autoimmune tissue damage. Activation, migration, and deployment of T-cells to affected tissue sites are crucial for mounting an adaptive immune response. An effective adaptive immune defense depends on the ability of T-cells to dynamically reprogram their metabolic requirements in response to environmental cues. Inability of the T-cells to adapt to specific metabolic demands may skew cells to become either hyporesponsive (creating immunocompromised conditions) or hyperactive (causing autoimmune tissue destruction). Here, we review maladaptive T-cell metabolic fitness that can cause autoimmune diseases and discuss how T-cell metabolic programs can potentially be modulated to achieve therapeutic benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Rose Antony
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
- Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India; (I.R.A.); (B.H.S.W.); (D.K.)
| | - Brandon Han Siang Wong
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme, NTU Institute for Health Technologies (HealthTech-NTU), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637335, Singapore
| | - Dermot Kelleher
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Navin Kumar Verma
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 308232, Singapore
- Skin Research Institute of Singapore, Singapore 308205, Singapore
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10
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Müller L, Di Benedetto S. From aging to long COVID: exploring the convergence of immunosenescence, inflammaging, and autoimmunity. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1298004. [PMID: 37942323 PMCID: PMC10628127 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1298004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The process of aging is accompanied by a dynamic restructuring of the immune response, a phenomenon known as immunosenescence. This mini-review navigates through the complex landscape of age-associated immune changes, chronic inflammation, age-related autoimmune tendencies, and their potential links with immunopathology of Long COVID. Immunosenescence serves as an introductory departure point, elucidating alterations in immune cell profiles and their functional dynamics, changes in T-cell receptor signaling, cytokine network dysregulation, and compromised regulatory T-cell function. Subsequent scrutiny of chronic inflammation, or "inflammaging," highlights its roles in age-related autoimmune susceptibilities and its potential as a mediator of the immune perturbations observed in Long COVID patients. The introduction of epigenetic facets further amplifies the potential interconnections. In this compact review, we consider the dynamic interactions between immunosenescence, inflammation, and autoimmunity. We aim to explore the multifaceted relationships that link these processes and shed light on the underlying mechanisms that drive their interconnectedness. With a focus on understanding the immunological changes in the context of aging, we seek to provide insights into how immunosenescence and inflammation contribute to the emergence and progression of autoimmune disorders in the elderly and may serve as potential mediator for Long COVID disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Müller
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Center for Lifespan Psychology, Berlin, Germany
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11
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Allué-Guardia A, Torrelles JB, Sigal A. Tuberculosis and COVID-19 in the elderly: factors driving a higher burden of disease. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1250198. [PMID: 37841265 PMCID: PMC10569613 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1250198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and SARS-CoV-2 are both infections that can lead to severe disease in the lower lung. However, these two infections are caused by very different pathogens (Mycobacterium vs. virus), they have different mechanisms of pathogenesis and immune response, and differ in how long the infection lasts. Despite the differences, SARS-CoV-2 and M.tb share a common feature, which is also frequently observed in other respiratory infections: the burden of disease in the elderly is greater. Here, we discuss possible reasons for the higher burden in older adults, including the effect of co-morbidities, deterioration of the lung environment, auto-immunity, and a reduced antibody response. While the answer is likely to be multifactorial, understanding the main drivers across different infections may allow us to design broader interventions that increase the health-span of older people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Allué-Guardia
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Jordi B. Torrelles
- Population Health Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
- International Center for the Advancement of Research and Education (I•CARE), Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Alex Sigal
- Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Durban, South Africa
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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12
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Zheng Y, Liu Q, Goronzy JJ, Weyand CM. Immune aging - A mechanism in autoimmune disease. Semin Immunol 2023; 69:101814. [PMID: 37542986 PMCID: PMC10663095 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Evidence is emerging that the process of immune aging is a mechanism leading to autoimmunity. Over lifetime, the immune system adapts to profound changes in hematopoiesis and lymphogenesis, and progressively restructures in face of an ever-expanding exposome. Older adults fail to generate adequate immune responses against microbial infections and tumors, but accumulate aged T cells, B cells and myeloid cells. Age-associated B cells are highly efficient in autoantibody production. T-cell aging promotes the accrual of end-differentiated effector T cells with potent cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory abilities and myeloid cell aging supports a low grade, sterile and chronic inflammatory state (inflammaging). In pre-disposed individuals, immune aging can lead to frank autoimmune disease, manifesting with chronic inflammation and irreversible tissue damage. Emerging data support the concept that autoimmunity results from aging-induced failure of fundamental cellular processes in immune effector cells: genomic instability, loss of mitochondrial fitness, failing proteostasis, dwindling lysosomal degradation and inefficient autophagy. Here, we have reviewed the evidence that malfunctional mitochondria, disabled lysosomes and stressed endoplasmic reticula induce pathogenic T cells and macrophages that drive two autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). Recognizing immune aging as a risk factor for autoimmunity will open new avenues of immunomodulatory therapy, including the repair of malfunctioning mitochondria and lysosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zheng
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Qingxiang Liu
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jorg J Goronzy
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cornelia M Weyand
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Cao Y, Liu B, Cai L, Li Y, Huang Y, Zhou Y, Sun X, Yang W, Sun T. G9a promotes immune suppression by targeting the Fbxw7/Notch pathway in glioma stem cells. CNS Neurosci Ther 2023; 29:2508-2521. [PMID: 36971192 PMCID: PMC10401078 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Immunotherapy for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is limited because of a strongly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Remodeling the immune TME is an effective strategy to eliminate GBM immunotherapy resistance. Glioma stem cells (GSCs) are inherently resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy and involved in immune evasion mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the effects of histone methyltransferases 2 (EHMT2 or G9a) on immunosuppressive TME and whether this effect was related to changes on cell stemness. METHODS Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry in orthotopic implanted glioma mice model. The gene expressions were measured by RT-qPCR, western blot, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8, and cell apoptosis and cytotoxicity were detected by flow cytometry. The interaction of G9a and F-box and WD repeat domain containing 7 (Fbxw7) promotor was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation. RESULTS Downregulation of G9a retarded tumor growth and extended survival in an immunocompetent glioma mouse model, promoted the filtration of IFN-γ + CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, and suppressed the filtration of PD-1+ CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and M2-like macrophages in TME. G9a inhibition decreased PD-L1 and increased MHC-I expressions by inactivating Notch pathway companying stemness decrease in GSCs. Mechanistically, G9a bound to Fbxw7, a Notch suppressor, to inhibit gene transcription through H3K9me2 of Fbxw7 promotor. CONCLUSION G9a promotes stemness characteristics through binding Fbxw7 promotor to inhibit Fbxw7 transcription in GSCs, forming an immunosuppressive TME, which provides novel treatment strategies for targeting GSCs in antitumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Cao
- Neurosurgery and Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital, Xining, Qinghai, China
| | - Lize Cai
- Neurosurgery and Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- Neurosurgery and Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yulun Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Dushu Lake Hospital Affiliated of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youxin Zhou
- Neurosurgery and Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xingjian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ting Sun
- Neurosurgery and Brain and Nerve Research Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Escrig-Larena JI, Delgado-Pulido S, Mittelbrunn M. Mitochondria during T cell aging. Semin Immunol 2023; 69:101808. [PMID: 37473558 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of aging that contributes to inflammaging. It is characterized by alterations of the mitochondrial DNA, reduced respiratory capacity, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased reactive oxygen species production. These primary alterations disrupt other interconnected and important mitochondrial-related processes such as metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics and biogenesis, mitophagy, calcium homeostasis or apoptosis. In this review, we gather the current knowledge about the different mitochondrial processes which are altered during aging, with special focus on their contribution to age-associated T cell dysfunction and inflammaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Ignacio Escrig-Larena
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Centro de Biología Molcular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Delgado-Pulido
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias (UAM), Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Mittelbrunn
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Centro de Biología Molcular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Madrid, Spain.
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15
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Moura J. Editorial: Immune aging and its consequences. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1250141. [PMID: 37576974 PMCID: PMC10421656 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1250141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- João Moura
- Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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16
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Liu Q, Zheng Y, Goronzy JJ, Weyand CM. T cell aging as a risk factor for autoimmunity. J Autoimmun 2023; 137:102947. [PMID: 36357240 PMCID: PMC10164202 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Immune aging is a complex process rendering the host susceptible to cancer, infection, and insufficient tissue repair. Many autoimmune diseases preferentially occur during the second half of life, counterintuitive to the concept of excess adaptive immunity driving immune-mediated tissue damage. T cells are particularly susceptible to aging-imposed changes, as they are under extreme proliferative pressure to fulfill the demands of clonal expansion and of homeostatic T cell repopulation. T cells in older adults have a footprint of genetic and epigenetic changes, lack mitochondrial fitness, and fail to maintain proteostasis, diverging them from host protection to host injury. Here, we review recent progress in understanding how the human T-cell system ages and the evidence detailing how T cell aging contributes to autoimmune conditions. T cell aging is now recognized as a risk determinant in two prototypic autoimmune syndromes; rheumatoid arthritis and giant cell arteritis. The emerging concept adds susceptibility to autoimmune and autoinflammatory disease to the spectrum of aging-imposed adaptations and opens new opportunities for immunomodulatory therapy by restoring the functional intactness of aging T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxiang Liu
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Yanyan Zheng
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jorg J Goronzy
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94306, USA
| | - Cornelia M Weyand
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94306, USA.
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Abstract
Giant cell arteritis is an autoimmune disease of medium and large arteries, characterized by granulomatous inflammation of the three-layered vessel wall that results in vaso-occlusion, wall dissection, and aneurysm formation. The immunopathogenesis of giant cell arteritis is an accumulative process in which a prolonged asymptomatic period is followed by uncontrolled innate immunity, a breakdown in self-tolerance, the transition of autoimmunity from the periphery into the vessel wall and, eventually, the progressive evolution of vessel wall inflammation. Each of the steps in pathogenesis corresponds to specific immuno-phenotypes that provide mechanistic insights into how the immune system attacks and damages blood vessels. Clinically evident disease begins with inappropriate activation of myeloid cells triggering the release of hepatic acute phase proteins and inducing extravascular manifestations, such as muscle pains and stiffness diagnosed as polymyalgia rheumatica. Loss of self-tolerance in the adaptive immune system is linked to aberrant signaling in the NOTCH pathway, leading to expansion of NOTCH1+CD4+ T cells and the functional decline of NOTCH4+ T regulatory cells (Checkpoint 1). A defect in the endothelial cell barrier of adventitial vasa vasorum networks marks Checkpoint 2; the invasion of monocytes, macrophages and T cells into the arterial wall. Due to the failure of the immuno-inhibitory PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1)/PD-L1 (programmed cell death ligand 1) pathway, wall-infiltrating immune cells arrive in a permissive tissues microenvironment, where multiple T cell effector lineages thrive, shift toward high glycolytic activity, and support the development of tissue-damaging macrophages, including multinucleated giant cells (Checkpoint 3). Eventually, the vascular lesions are occupied by self-renewing T cells that provide autonomy to the disease process and limit the therapeutic effectiveness of currently used immunosuppressants. The multi-step process deviating protective to pathogenic immunity offers an array of interception points that provide opportunities for the prevention and therapeutic management of this devastating autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia M. Weyand
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94306
| | - Jörg J. Goronzy
- Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94306
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