Abstract
Immunosenescence describes immune dysfunction observed in older individuals. To identify individuals at-risk for immune dysfunction, it is crucial to understand the diverse immune phenotypes and their intrinsic functional capabilities. We investigated immune cell subsets and variation in the aging population. We observed that inter-individual immune variation was associated with age and cytomegalovirus seropositivity. Based on the similarities of immune subset composition among individuals, we identified nine immunotypes that displayed different aging-associated immune signatures, which explained inter-individual variation better than age. Additionally, we correlated the immune subset composition of individuals over approximately a year as a measure of stability of immune parameters. Immune stability was significantly lower in immunotypes that contained aging-associated immune subsets and correlated with a circulating CD38 + CD4+ T follicular helper cell increase 7 days after influenza vaccination. In conclusion, immune stability is a feature of immunotypes and could be a potential indicator of post-vaccination cellular kinetics.
Alper Cevirgel – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection prevention, Virology and Immunology Research Group, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Sudarshan A. Shetty – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection prevention, Virology and Immunology Research Group, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Martijn Vos – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Nening M. Nanlohy – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Lisa Beckers – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Elske Bijvank – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Nynke Rots – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Josine van Beek – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Anne-Marie Buisman – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
Debbie van Baarle – Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection prevention, Virology and Immunology Research Group, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
