scholarly journals Trajectories of inflammatory biomarkers over the eighth decade and their associations with immune cell counts and epigenetic ageing

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J Stevenson ◽  
Daniel L McCartney ◽  
Sarah E Harris ◽  
Adele M Taylor ◽  
Paul Redmond ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDEpigenetic age acceleration (an older methylation age compared to chronological age) correlates strongly with various age-related morbidities and mortality. Chronic systemic inflammation is thought to be a hallmark of ageing but the relationship between an increased epigenetic age and this likely key phenotype of ageing has not yet been extensively investigated.METHODSWe modelled the trajectories of the inflammatory biomarkers C-reactive protein (CRP; measured using both a high- and low-sensitivity assay), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) over the 8th decade in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. We additionally investigated the association between CRP and imputed leukocyte counts. Using linear mixed models we examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between the inflammatory biomarkers and two measures of epigenetic age acceleration, derived from the Horvath and Hannum epigenetic clocks.RESULTSLow-sensitivity CRP declined, high-sensitivity CRP did not change, and IL-6 increased over time. CRP levels inversely associated with total counts of CD8+T cells and CD4+T cells, and positively associated with senescent CD8+T cells, plasmablasts and granulocytes. Cross-sectionally, the Hannum, but not the Horvath, measure of age acceleration was positively associated with low-sensitivity CRP, high-sensitivity CRP, IL-6 and a restricted measure of CRP (≤10mg/L) likely reflecting levels relevant to chronic inflammation.CONCLUSIONSWe found a divergent relationship between inflammation and immune system parameters in older age. We additionally report the Hannum measure of epigenetic age acceleration associated with an elevated inflammatory profile cross-sectionally, but not longitudinally.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Carissimo ◽  
Weili Xu ◽  
Immanuel Kwok ◽  
Mohammad Yazid Abdad ◽  
Yi-Hao Chan ◽  
...  

Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is the novel coronavirus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic. Severe complications are observed only in a small proportion of infected patients but the cellular mechanisms underlying this progression are still unknown. Comprehensive flow cytometry of whole blood samples from 54 COVID-19 patients reveals a dramatic increase in the number of immature neutrophils. This increase strongly correlates with disease severity and is associated with elevated IL-6 and IP-10 levels, two key players in the cytokine storm. The most pronounced decrease in cell counts is observed for CD8 T-cells and VD2 γδ T-cells, which both exhibit increased differentiation and activation. ROC analysis reveals that the count ratio of immature neutrophils to VD2 (or CD8) T-cells predicts pneumonia onset (0.9071) as well as hypoxia onset (0.8908) with high sensitivity and specificity. It would thus be a useful prognostic marker for preventive patient management and improved healthcare resource management.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline M. Ratter-Rieck ◽  
Haifa Maalmi ◽  
Sandra Trenkamp ◽  
Oana-Patricia Zaharia ◽  
Wolfgang Rathmann ◽  
...  

Frequencies of circulating immune cells are altered in type 1 and type 2 diabetes compared with healthy individuals and associate with insulin sensitivity, glycemic control and lipid levels. This study aimed to determine whether specific immune cell types are associated with novel diabetes subgroups. We analyzed automated white blood cell counts (n=669) and flow cytometry data (n=201) of participants of the German Diabetes Study with recent-onset (<1 year) diabetes, who were allocated to five subgroups based on data-driven analysis of clinical variables. Leukocyte numbers were highest in severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD) and moderate obesity-related diabetes (MOD) and lowest in severe autoimmune diabetes (SAID). CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell frequencies were higher in SIRD vs. SAID, MOD and mild age-related diabetes (MARD), and frequencies of CCR4<sup>+</sup> regulatory T cells were higher in SIRD vs. SAID and MOD and MARD vs. SAID. Pairwise differences between subgroups were partially explained by differences in clustering variables. Frequencies of CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells were positively associated with age, BMI, HOMA2-B and HOMA2-IR, and frequencies of CCR4<sup>+</sup> regulatory T cells with age, HOMA2-B and HOMA2-IR. In conclusion, different leukocyte profiles exist between novel diabetes subgroups and suggest distinct inflammatory processes in these diabetes subgroups.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline M. Ratter-Rieck ◽  
Haifa Maalmi ◽  
Sandra Trenkamp ◽  
Oana-Patricia Zaharia ◽  
Wolfgang Rathmann ◽  
...  

Frequencies of circulating immune cells are altered in type 1 and type 2 diabetes compared with healthy individuals and associate with insulin sensitivity, glycemic control and lipid levels. This study aimed to determine whether specific immune cell types are associated with novel diabetes subgroups. We analyzed automated white blood cell counts (n=669) and flow cytometry data (n=201) of participants of the German Diabetes Study with recent-onset (<1 year) diabetes, who were allocated to five subgroups based on data-driven analysis of clinical variables. Leukocyte numbers were highest in severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD) and moderate obesity-related diabetes (MOD) and lowest in severe autoimmune diabetes (SAID). CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell frequencies were higher in SIRD vs. SAID, MOD and mild age-related diabetes (MARD), and frequencies of CCR4<sup>+</sup> regulatory T cells were higher in SIRD vs. SAID and MOD and MARD vs. SAID. Pairwise differences between subgroups were partially explained by differences in clustering variables. Frequencies of CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells were positively associated with age, BMI, HOMA2-B and HOMA2-IR, and frequencies of CCR4<sup>+</sup> regulatory T cells with age, HOMA2-B and HOMA2-IR. In conclusion, different leukocyte profiles exist between novel diabetes subgroups and suggest distinct inflammatory processes in these diabetes subgroups.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 1929-1929
Author(s):  
Attilio Bondanza ◽  
Loredana Ruggeri ◽  
Dimitris Ziagkos ◽  
Chiara Bonini ◽  
Christian Chabannon ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction and Aim: HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT) is increasingly offered to patients with high-risk acute myeloid (AML) or lymphoid leukemia (ALL). Unfortunately, graft manipulation employed to overcome the HLA barrier significantly delays immune reconstitution, posing the patients at risk of infections. Accordingly, non-relapse mortality after haplo-HSCT clearly extends beyond day 100 post-transplant. Over the years, different approaches have been investigated to speed-up immune reconstitution. In the absence of validated immune biomarkers, it is however difficult to evaluate the clinical impact of accelerated immune reconstitution. The aim of this EBMT retrospective study is to explore immune-cell counts early after haplo-HSCT as predictive of its overall outcome. Methods and Patients: Among AML and ALL patients in the EBMT database who underwent haplo-HSCT in the period 2001-2012, criteria for study entry were survival beyond day 100 and availability of differential immune-cell counts (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cells, CD19+ B cells, CD16+/CD56+ NK cells) within this period. Accordingly, statistical analysis was landmarked at day 100. Of 259 patients meeting these criteria (age 2-70, median 33), 67 (26%) were children. The underlying disease was AML in 162 cases (63%), while ALL in the remaining (including 5 cases of bi-phenotypic leukemia). Fifty-two percent of patients were transplanted in CR1. The stem-cell source was G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood in all but one patient (>99%) and 171 received TBI (66%). The graft was manipulated in 199 patients (78%), including CD34-selection (50%), ex vivo T-cell depletion (15%) or both (13%). Female-to-male transplants were 68 (26%), while 204 (79%) recipients were CMV seropositive. Sustained hematopoietic engraftment was reached in 246 patients (95%) Results: The estimated overall survival at 2yrs was43%. The estimated cumulative incidence of death due to relapse was 33%, while that of death due to other causes was 35% (51% of those were infections) The occurrence of grade III-IV GVHD and of chronic GVHD was 9% and 18% (7% extensive), respectively. As expected, overall survival was better in children (62% vs 36%, P=0.002 by Log-rank), who clearly had a lower incidence of death due to causes other than relapse compared with adults (10% vs 37%, P=0.0001). Negative prognostic factors for overall survival were any disease state other than CR1 at time of transplantation (P=0.002) and CMV seropositivity (P=0.009). Type of leukemia, TBI or graft manipulation had no effect on the outcome. By day 100 post-transplant, patients reached the following median immune-cell counts: 100 CD3+ T cells (range 0-2576), 30 CD4+ T cells (0-1714), 48 CD8+ T cells (0-1880), 276 CD16+/CD56+ NK cells (18-3581), 21 CD19+ B cells (0-790). Importantly, CD3+ counts above the first quartile (1Q) of the entire data set (29 cells per microL) were significantly associated with a better overall survival (P=0.0005 by Log rank) and a lower incidence of death due to causes other than relapse (P=0.002 by Gray test). The same held true for CD8+ counts (1Q: 15 cells per microL; P=0.003 on overall survival; P=0.0004 on death due to other causes). CD4+ counts also showed similar correlations, but at higher values (above the median). None of the other immune-cell counts analyzed correlated with clinical outcome. Strikingly, when challenged in multivariate analysis taking into account age category, CMV seropositivity, graft manipulation and CR1 status at transplant, CD3+ and CD8+ counts above the 1Q adjusted to fit optimal cut-off points were still significantly associated with a better overall survival (P=0.006 and P=0.015, respectively), but only CD8+ values associated with a lesser risk of death due to causes other than relapse (P=0.026). Conversely, similarly adjusted median CD4+ counts failed to show any association. Conclusions: Contrary to what is generally accepted, these results indicate that an accelerated CD8+, but not CD4+, T cell reconstitution associates with a more favorable clinical outcome after haplo-HSCT, likely due to its protective role against opportunistic viral infections. Moreover, they suggest that yet to be validated CD8+ cut-off points, rather than the commonly used arbitrary value of 200 CD4+ T cells per microL, should be considered as surrogate biomarkers in clinical trials. Disclosures Bonini: MolMed S.p.A: Consultancy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A637-A637
Author(s):  
Manoj Chelvanambi ◽  
Ronald Fecek ◽  
Jennifer Taylor ◽  
Walter Storkus

BackgroundThe degree of immune infiltration in tumors, especially CD8+ T cells, greatly impacts patient disease course and response to interventional immunotherapy. Hence, enhancement of TIL prevalence is a preferred clinical endpoint, one that may be achieved via administration of agents that normalize the tumor vasculature (VN) leading to improved immune cell recruitment and/or that induce the development of local tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) within the tumor microenvironment (TME).MethodsLow-dose STING agonist ADU S-100 (5 μg/mouse) was delivered intratumorally to established s.c. B16.F10 melanomas on days 10, 14 and 17 post-tumor inoculation under an IACUC-approved protocol. Treated and control, untreated tumors were isolated at various time points to assess transcriptional changes associated with VN and TLS formation via qPCR, with corollary immune cell composition changes determined using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy. In vitro assays were performed on CD11c+ BMDCs treated with 2.5 μg/mL ADU S-100 (vs PBS control) and associated transcriptional changes analyzed via qPCR or profiled using DNA microarrays. For TCRβ-CDR3 analyses, CDR3 was sequenced from gDNA isolated from enzymatically digested tumors and splenocytes.ResultsWe report that activation of STING within the TME leads to slowed melanoma growth in association with increased production of angiostatic factors including Tnfsf15 (Vegi), Cxcl10 and Angpt1, and TLS inducing factors including Ccl19, Ccl21, Lta, Ltb and Tnfsf14 (Light). Therapeutic responses from intratumoral STING activation were characterized by increased vascular normalization (VN), enhanced tumor infiltration by CD8+ T cells and CD11c+ DCs and local TLS neo-genesis, all of which were dependent on host expression of STING. Consistent with a central role for DC in TLS formation, ex vivo ADU S-100-activated mCD11c+ DCs also exhibited upregulated expression of TLS promoting factors including lymphotoxin-α (LTA), IL-36, inflammatory chemokines and type I interferons. TLS formation was associated with the development of a therapeutic TIL TCR repertoire enriched in T cell clonotypes uniquely detected within the tumor but not the peripheral circulation in support or local T cell cross-priming within the TME.ConclusionsOur data support the premise that i.t. delivery of STING agonist promotes a pro-inflammatory TME in support of VN and TLS formation, leading to the local expansion of unique TIL repertoire in association with superior anti-melanoma efficacy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii214-ii214
Author(s):  
Anupam Kumar ◽  
Katharine Chen ◽  
Claudia Petritsch ◽  
Theodore Nicolaides ◽  
Mariarita Santi-Vicini ◽  
...  

Abstract The determinants of the tumor-associated immune response in brain tumors are poorly understood. Using tumor samples from two molecularly distinct subtypes of lower grade glioma, MAPK-driven glioma with biallelic inactivation of CDKN2A (n=30) and IDH-mutant, 1p/19q-intact astrocytoma (n=29), we demonstrate qualitative and quantitative differences in the tumor-associated immune response and we investigate the molecular mechanisms involved. Histologically the MAPK-driven gliomas were comprised of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) (n=11) and anaplastic PXA (n=19). Seven patients had paired samples from two sequential surgeries. Immune cell populations and their activity were determined by quantitative multiplex immunostaining and Digital Spatial Profiling and gene expression was analyzed by Nanostring. Functional studies were performed using established cell lines and two new patient-derived lines from MAPK-driven LGGs. MAPK-driven tumors exhibited an increased number of CD8+ T cells and tumor-associated microglial/macrophage (TAMs), including CD163+ TAMs, as compared to IDH-mutant astrocytoma. In contrast, IDH-mutant tumors had increased FOXP3+ immunosuppressive T regulatory cells. Transcriptional and protein level analyses in MAPK-driven tumors suggested an active cytotoxic T cell response with robust expression of granzyme B, present on 27% of CD8+ T cells, increased MHC class I expression, and altered cytokine profiles. Interestingly, MAPK-driven tumors also had increased expression of immunosuppressive molecules, including CXCR4, PD-L1, and VEGFA. Expression differences for cell surface and secreted proteins were confirmed in patient-derived tumor lines and functional relationships between altered chemokine expression and immune cell infiltration was investigated. Our data provide novel insights into the immune contexture of MAPK driven LGGs and suggest MAPK driven gliomas with biallelic inactivation of CDKN2A may be particularly vulnerable to immunotherapeutic modulation


Author(s):  
Rosanna L. Wustrack ◽  
Evans Shao ◽  
Joey Sheridan ◽  
Melissa Zimel ◽  
Soo-Jin Cho ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Soft-tissue sarcomas (STS) are a rare group of mesenchymal malignancies that account for approximately 1% of adult human cancer. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) is one of the most common subtypes of adult STS. Clinical stratification of UPS patients has not evolved for decades and continues to rely on tumor-centric metrics including tumor size and depth. Our understanding of how the tumor microenvironment correlates to these clinicopathologic parameters remains limited. Methods Here, we performed single-cell flow cytometric immune-based profiling of 15 freshly resected UPS tumors and integrated this analysis with clinical, histopathologic, and outcomes data using both a prospective and retrospective cohort of UPS patients. Results We uncovered a correlation between physiologic and anatomic properties of UPS tumors and the composition of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Specifically, we identified an inverse correlation between tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T cells and UPS tumor size; and a positive correlation between tumor-infiltrating CD8 + T cells and overall survival. Moreover, we demonstrate an association between anatomical location (deep or superficial) and frequency of CD4 + PD1hi infiltrating T cells in UPS tumors. Conclusions Our study provides an immune-based analysis of the tumor microenvironment in UPS patients and describes the different composition of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes based on size and tumor depth.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumeyye Su ◽  
Shaya Akbarinejad ◽  
Leili Shahriyari

AbstractSince the outcome of treatments, particularly immunotherapeutic interventions, depends on the tumor immune micro-environment (TIM), several experimental and computational tools such as flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and digital cytometry have been developed and utilized to classify TIM variations. In this project, we identify immune pattern of clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) by estimating the percentage of each immune cell type in 526 renal tumors using the new powerful technique of digital cytometry. The results, which are in agreement with the results of a large-scale mass cytometry analysis, show that the most frequent immune cell types in ccRCC tumors are CD8+ T-cells, macrophages, and CD4+ T-cells. Saliently, unsupervised clustering of ccRCC primary tumors based on their relative number of immune cells indicates the existence of four distinct groups of ccRCC tumors. Tumors in the first group consist of approximately the same numbers of macrophages and CD8+ T-cells and and a slightly smaller number of CD4+ T cells than CD8+ T cells, while tumors in the second group have a significantly high number of macrophages compared to any other immune cell type (P-value $$<0.01$$ < 0.01 ). The third group of ccRCC tumors have a significantly higher number of CD8+ T-cells than any other immune cell type (P-value $$<0.01$$ < 0.01 ), while tumors in the group 4 have approximately the same numbers of macrophages and CD4+ T-cells and a significantly smaller number of CD8+ T-cells than CD4+ T-cells (P-value $$<0.01$$ < 0.01 ). Moreover, there is a high positive correlation between the expression levels of IFNG and PDCD1 and the percentage of CD8+ T-cells, and higher stage and grade of tumors have a substantially higher percentage of CD8+ T-cells. Furthermore, the primary tumors of patients, who are tumor free at the last time of follow up, have a significantly higher percentage of mast cells (P-value $$<0.01$$ < 0.01 ) compared to the patients with tumors for all groups of tumors except group 3.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Lun Kuo ◽  
Ann Zenobia Moore ◽  
Frank R. Lin ◽  
Luigi Ferrucci

Objectives: Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is highly prevalent among older adults, but the potential mechanisms and predictive markers for ARHL are lacking. Epigenetic age acceleration has been shown to be predictive of many age-associated diseases and mortality. However, the association between epigenetic age acceleration and hearing remains unknown. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between epigenetic age acceleration and audiometric hearing in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA).Methods: Participants with both DNA methylation and audiometric hearing measurements were included. The main independent variables are epigenetic age acceleration measures, including intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration—“IEAA,” Hannum age acceleration—“AgeAccelerationResidualHannum,” PhenoAge acceleration—“AgeAccelPheno,” GrimAge acceleration—“AgeAccelGrim,” and methylation-based pace of aging estimation—“DunedinPoAm.” The main dependent variable is speech-frequency pure tone average. Linear regression was used to assess the association between epigenetic age acceleration and hearing.Results: Among the 236 participants (52.5% female), after adjusting for age, sex, race, time difference between measurements, cardiovascular factors, and smoking history, the effect sizes were 0.11 995% CI: (–0.00, 0.23), p = 0.054] for Hannum’s clock, 0.08 [95% CI: (–0.03, 0.19), p = 0.143] for Horvath’s clock, 0.10 [95% CI: (–0.01, 0.21), p = 0.089] for PhenoAge, 0.20 [95% CI: (0.06, 0.33), p = 0.004] for GrimAge, and 0.21 [95% CI: (0.09, 0.33), p = 0.001] for DunedinPoAm.Discussion: The present study suggests that some epigenetic age acceleration measurements are associated with hearing. Future research is needed to study the potential subclinical cardiovascular causes of hearing and to investigate the longitudinal relationship between DNA methylation and hearing.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amankeldi Salybekov ◽  
Katsuaki Sakai ◽  
Makoto Natsumeda ◽  
Kosit Vorateera ◽  
Shuzo Kobayashi ◽  
...  

Abstract Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), with a very relevant global disease burden, remains the major mortality and morbidity cause among all cardiovascular diseases. Patient prognosis is strictly dependent on early diagnosis and the adoption of adequate interventions. AMI diagnosis requires constant optimization, particularly considering the individuals at higher risk (or more vulnerable to worse outcomes) such as patients with diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. Herein, we investigated the levels of peripheral blood EPCs and immune cell-subsets from myeloid and lymphoid lineages, as well as their temporal dynamics, in the quest for new prognostic biomarkers of AMI. We collected blood from 18 hospitalized patients (days 3 and 7 after AMI onset) and 16 healthy volunteers, and resolved their circulating PBMC populations via flow cytometry. Overall, our data demonstrate a significant decrease in peripheral EPCs and CD8+ T cells, three days following an AMI. EPCs appear to be functionally impaired in AMI patients, and their circulating numbers associate with cardiac vessel lesions. Furthermore, CD8+ T cells (and even M1-macrophages) in the periphery, in combination with the classical laboratory determinations, may serve as high accuracy biomarkers of AMI, potentially aiding to prevent worse AMI outcomes.


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