Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori infections and immunological profile of community-dwelling older adults

Rhythms and shifts of chemokines and cytokines interplay in a decade lifespan: The longitudinal community-based Bambuí health and aging study

Aging is associated with several physiological changes, including a remarkable remodeling of the immune system. Herein, the rhythms and shifts in serum immune mediators were characterized in a decade lifespan as a longitudinal community-based prospective investigation from Bambuí Health and Aging Study. The study population included paired samples from 713 subjects survivors from the original BHAS cohort and at 10-years Follow-up, categorized into 5-years age range intervals (60-64Yrs towards 90 + Yrs). Quantification of soluble mediators were carried out by Cytometric Bead Array. The results demonstrated a rhythmic increase in serum immune mediators, especially CXCL9, CXCL10, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF following the aging process, particularly at age intervals 70-74Yrs and 85-89Yrs. More prominent fold change magnitudes were observed for TNF (27.64×), CXCL9 (2.40×), IL-1β (2.20×), IL-6 (1.47×), and CXCL10 (1.26×). On the other hand, analysis of integrative networks showed a waning in the correlation numbers between immune mediators in a decade lifespan and a shift of connectivity from chemokines at Enrollment towards cytokines at 10-years Follow-up. Cross-correlation approaches revealed that CXCL9, CXCL10, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 were placed in the innermost position, underscoring the higher contribution of these mediators along aging. Overall, these findings re-emphasize the impact of aging in the dynamic profile of serum immune mediators, highlighting the shift of selective mediators and their rhythmic signatures across chronological aging.

Seroprevalence of Borrelia, Anaplasma, Bartonella, Toxoplasma, Mycoplasma, Yersinia, and Chlamydia in Human Population from Eastern Poland

The epidemiological situation related to infectious diseases is influenced by many factors. To monitor actual trends in selected zoonoses, a total of 473 serum samples from farmers, forestry workers, and veterinarians were collected for serological examination. Anti-Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) antibodies were tested with ELISA and Western blot (WB) tests; the detection of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies was performed using an enzyme linked fluorescence assay (ELFA). Antibodies to bartonellosis, anaplasmosis, and chlamydiosis were determined by indirect immunofluorescent test (IFA), whereas antibodies to yersiniosis and mycoplasmosis were confirmed in the ELISA test. Positive or borderline results of antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l. in the ELISA test were detected in 33.8% of the study population. The borderline or positive ELISA test results for at least one antibody class were confirmed by WB in 58.7% of cases. The IgG antibodies against Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Toxoplasma gondii, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae were detected in 9.6%, 51.7%, and 63.6% of samples, respectively. Antibodies against Yersinia spp., Bartonella henselae, and Chlamydia pneumoniae were found to vary between 43 and 47%.

A nationwide study on immunosenescence biomarkers profile in older adults: ELSI-Brazil

Immunosenescence is a phenomenon caused by changes in the immune system, and part of these changes involves an increase in circulating immunological biomarkers, a process known as "Inflammaging." Inflammaging can be associated with many diseases related to older people. As the older population continues to grow, understanding changes in the immune system becomes essential. While prior studies assessing these alterations have been conducted in countries with Caucasian populations, this investigation marks a pioneering effort. The object of the study is to describe for the first time that the distribution of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors serum levels, assessed by Luminex platform, has been examined in a Brazilian population-based study of older adult females and males by age. Blood samples from 2111 participants (≥50 years old) were analyzed at the baseline (2015/2016) of the ELSI-Brazil study. The exploratory variables considered in the study were age, sex, educational level, residence area, geographic region, alcohol and smoking consumption, physical activity, and self-reported medical diagnoses of hypertension, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, and cancer. The association between serum biomarker levels and age was assessed by a quantile regression model adjusted in the total population and stratified by sex. The significance level considered in the analysis was 0.05. The mean age of the participants was 62.9 years, with a slight majority of female (52.7 %). Differences were found between the sexes in the median circulating levels of the CCL11, CXCL10, and FGF biomarkers. Eight biomarkers showed significant associations with age, including the pro-inflammatory CXCL10, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-2; and type 2/regulatory CCL11 and IL-4, showing positive associations, and anti-inflammatory IL-1Ra showing a negative association. The results suggest similar associations between the sexes, revealing an inflammatory profile characterized by types 1 and 2. Remarkably, these findings reinforce the concept of the Inflammaging process in Brazilian population. These findings add novel insights to about the immunosenescence aspects in middle-income countries and help define biomarkers capable of monitoring inflammation in older adults.