Inflammaging and human longevity in the omics era

Biochemical and molecular determinants of the subclinical inflammatory mechanisms in Rett syndrome

To date, Rett syndrome (RTT), a genetic disorder mainly caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene, is increasingly considered a broad-spectrum pathology, instead of just a neurodevelopmental disease, due to the multitude of peripheral co-morbidities and the compromised metabolic pathways, affecting the patients. The altered molecular processes include an impaired mitochondrial function, a perturbed redox homeostasis, a chronic subclinical inflammation and an improper cholesterol metabolism. The persistent subclinical inflammatory condition was first defined ten years ago, as a previously unrecognized feature of RTT, playing a role in the pathology progress and modulation of phenotypical severity. In light of this, the present work aims at reviewing the current knowledge on the chronic inflammatory status and the altered immune/inflammatory functions in RTT, as well as investigating the emerging mechanisms underlying this condition with a special focus on the latest findings about inflammasome system, autoimmunity responses and intestinal micro- and mycobiota. On these bases, although further research is needed, future therapeutic strategies able to re-establish an adequate immune/inflammatory response could represent potential approaches for RTT patients.

IL-10 and IL-1β Serum Levels, Genetic Variants, and Metabolic Syndrome: Insights into Older Adults' Clinical Characteristics

Populational aging is marked by chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). IL-10 and IL-1β are pleiotropic cytokines with multiple biological effects linked to metabolic disorders. This cross-sectional study assessed 193 participants' IL-10 and IL-1β serum levels regarding their role in developing MetS, clinical characteristics, and their IL1B rs1143627 and IL10 rs1800890 variants' genotype frequencies in a population over 60. IL-10 levels correlated weakly with HDL levels and fat mass and inversely with triglycerides, glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and estimated average blood glucose levels. IL-10 levels were also indirectly influenced by the patient's T2DM duration, lean mass amount, and bone mineral content. Participants with altered HDL, elevated serum glucose, raised HbA1c levels, or those over 80 had reduced serum IL-10 levels compared to those with normal levels or other age groups, respectively. Women also had higher serum IL-10 levels than men. Dissimilarly, IL-1β levels correlated directly only with the number of total leukocytes and segmented neutrophils, showing only significant variations with self-reported alcohol consumption. Our study also found that those with the IL10 AA genotype (lower IL-10 levels) had a significantly higher risk of developing MetS. These findings may help direct future research and more targeted therapeutic approaches in older adults.

Organ-specific biological clocks: Ageotyping for personalized anti-aging medicine

Aging is a complex multidimensional, progressive remodeling process affecting multiple organ systems. While many studies have focused on studying aging across multiple organs, assessment of the contribution of individual organs to overall aging processes is a cutting-edge issue. An organ's biological age might influence the aging of other organs, revealing a multiorgan aging network. Recent data demonstrated a similar yet asynchronous inter-organs and inter-individuals progression of aging, thereby providing a foundation to track sources of declining health in old age. The integration of multiple omics with common clinical parameters through artificial intelligence has allowed the building of organ-specific aging clocks, which can predict the development of specific age-related diseases at high resolution. The peculiar individual aging-trajectory, referred to as ageotype, might provide a novel tool for a personalized anti-aging, preventive medicine. Here, we review data relative to biological aging clocks and omics-based data, suggesting different organ-specific aging rates. Additional research on longitudinal data, including young subjects and analyzing sex-related differences, should be encouraged to apply ageotyping analysis for preventive purposes in clinical practice.

Novel protective effect of the FOXO3 longevity genotype on mechanisms of cellular aging in Okinawans

The genetic association of FOXO3 genotypes with human longevity is well established, although the mechanism is not fully understood. We now report on the relationship of the FOXO3 longevity variant rs2802292 with telomere length, telomerase activity, FOXO3 expression, and inflammatory cytokine levels in men and women. In agreement with earlier work, the FOXO3 longevity variant conferred protection against telomere shortening of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from adults aged 55 years and older. This was accompanied by higher levels of telomerase activity in mononuclear cells for carriers of the longevity-associated FOXO3 G-allele of SNP rs2802292 (P = 0.015). FOXO3 mRNA expression increased slightly with age in both young (P = 0.02) and old (P = 0.08) G-allele carriers. Older female G-allele carriers displayed a modest decline in levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 with age (P = 0.07). In contrast, older male G-allele carriers displayed an age-dependent increase in levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 with age (P = 0.04). Thus, FOXO3 may act through several different pro-longevity mechanisms, which may differ by age and sex.

Unraveling the relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and frailty: evidence from longitudinal cohort study and genetic analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with incident frailty as well as its effects on pre-frailty progression and regression among middle-aged and older adults.

METHODS

Based on the frailty index (FI) calculated with 41 items, 6890 eligible participants without frailty at baseline from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were categorized into health, pre-frailty, and frailty groups. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the longitudinal association between baseline hs-CRP and incident frailty. Furthermore, a series of genetic approaches were conducted to confirm the causal relationship between CRP and frailty, including Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC), pleiotropic analysis, and Mendelian randomization (MR). Finally, we evaluated the association of hs-CRP with pre-frailty progression and regression.

RESULTS

The risk of developing frailty was 1.18 times (95% CI: 1.03-1.34) higher in participants with high levels of hs-CRP at baseline than low levels of hs-CRP participants during the 3-year follow-up. MR analysis suggested that genetically determined hs-CRP was potentially positively associated with the risk of frailty (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.08). Among 5241 participants with pre-frailty at baseline, we found pre-frailty participants with high levels of hs-CRP exhibit increased odds of progression to frailty (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09-1.79) and decreased odds of regression to health (OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72-0.98) when compared with participants with low levels of hs-CRP.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that reducing systemic inflammation is significant for developing strategies for frailty prevention and pre-frailty reversion in the middle-aged and elderly population.

HALL: a comprehensive database for human aging and longevity studies

Diverse individuals age at different rates and display variable susceptibilities to tissue aging, functional decline and aging-related diseases. Centenarians, exemplifying extreme longevity, serve as models for healthy aging. The field of human aging and longevity research is rapidly advancing, garnering significant attention and accumulating substantial data in recent years. Omics technologies, encompassing phenomics, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and microbiomics, have provided multidimensional insights and revolutionized cohort-based investigations into human aging and longevity. Accumulated data, covering diverse cells, tissues and cohorts across the lifespan necessitates the establishment of an open and integrated database. Addressing this, we established the Human Aging and Longevity Landscape (HALL), a comprehensive multi-omics repository encompassing a diverse spectrum of human cohorts, spanning from young adults to centenarians. The core objective of HALL is to foster healthy aging by offering an extensive repository of information on biomarkers that gauge the trajectory of human aging. Moreover, the database facilitates the development of diagnostic tools for aging-related conditions and empowers targeted interventions to enhance longevity. HALL is publicly available at https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/hall/index.

Specificity and efficiency of tamoxifen-mediated Cre induction is equivalent regardless of age

Temporally controlling Cre recombination through tamoxifen (Tam) induction has many advantages for biomedical research. Most studies report early post-natal/juvenile (<2 m.o.) Tam induction, but age-related neurodegeneration and aging studies can require Cre induction in older mice (>12 m.o.). While anecdotally reported as problematic, there are no published comparisons of Tam-mediated Cre induction at early and late ages. Here, microglial-specific Cx3cr1creERT2 mice were crossed to a floxed NuTRAP reporter to compare Cre induction at early (3-6 m.o.) and late (20 m.o.) ages. Specificity and efficiency of microglial labeling at 21-22 m.o. were identical in mice induced with Tam at early and late ages. Age-related microglial translatomic changes were also similar regardless of Tam induction age. Each Cre and flox mouse line should be independently validated, however, these findings demonstrate that Tam-mediated Cre induction can be performed even into older mouse ages and should be generalizable to other inducible Cre models.

Combination of the biomarkers for aging and cancer? - Challenges and current status

The proportion of patients diagnosed with cancer has been shown to rise with the increasing aging global population. Advanced age is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality in older adults. As individuals experience varying health statuses, particularly with age, it poses a challenge for medical professionals in the cancer field to obtain standardized treatment outcomes. Hence, relying solely on chronological age and disease-related parameters is inadequate for clinical decision-making for elderly patients. With functional, multimorbidity-related, and psychosocial changes that occur with aging, oncologic diseases may develop and be treated differently from younger patients, leading to unique challenges in treatment efficacy and tolerance. To overcome this challenge, personalized therapy using biomarkers has emerged as a promising solution. Various categories of biomarkers, including inflammatory, hematological, metabolic, endocrine, and DNA modification-related indicators, may display features related to both cancer and aging, aiding in the development of innovative therapeutic approaches for patients with cancer in old age. Furthermore, physical functional measurements as non-molecular phenotypic biomarkers are being investigated for their potential complementary role in structured multidomain strategies to combat age-related diseases such as cancer. This review provides insight into the current developments, recent discoveries, and significant challenges in cancer and aging biomarkers, with a specific focus on their application in advanced age.

Metformin inhibits inflammatory response and endoplasmic reticulum stress to improve hypothalamic aging in obese mice

The hypothalamus, as a vital brain region for endocrine and metabolism regulation, undergoes functional disruption during obesity.The anti-aging effect of metformin has come into focus. However, whether it has the potential to ameliorate hypothalamic aging and dysfunction in the obese state remains unclear. In this study, obese mice were utilized to investigate the effects of metformin on the hypothalamus of obese mice. According to the results, metformin treatment resulted in improved insulin sensitivity, reduced blood glucose and lipid levels, as well as attenuation of hypothalamic aging, demonstrated by decreased SA-β-gal staining and downregulation of senescence markers. Additionally, metformin decreased the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins in neurons and reduced the inflammatory response triggered by microglia activation. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that metformin inhibited the expression and activation of STING and NLRP3 in microglia. These results reveal a possible mechanism by which metformin ameliorates hypothalamic aging.

The influence of inflammation and frailty in the aging continuum

Inflammaging is a low-grade inflammatory state that can be considered an adaptive process aimed at stimulating appropriate anti-inflammatory response. Frailty is determined by the accumulation of molecular and cellular defects accumulated throughout life; therefore, an appropriate frailty computation could be a valuable tool for measuring biological age. This study aims to analyse the association between inflammatory markers and both chronological age "per se" and frailty. We studied 452 persons aged 43-114 years. A Frailty Index (FI) was computed considering a wide range of age-related signs, symptoms, disabilities, and diseases. Plasma concentrations of inflammatory cytokines and peripheral markers of neuroinflammation were analysed by next-generation ELISA. The mean age of the cohort was 79.7 (from 43 to 114) years and the median FI was 0.19 (from 0.00 to 0.75). The concentrations of most inflammatory markers increased significantly with chronological age, after adjustment for sex and FI. Interferon-γ was significantly affected only by FI, while interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-1β were associated only with chronological age. In conclusion, we described different associations between inflammatory components and chronological vs. biological age. A better characterization of the molecular signature of aging could help to understand the complexity of this process.

Consistent specificity and efficiency of tamoxifen-mediated cre induction across ages

Temporally controlling cre recombination through tamoxifen (Tam) induction has many advantages for biomedical research. Most studies report Tam induction at early post-natal/juvenile (<2 m.o.) mouse ages, but age-related neurodegeneration and aging studies can require cre induction in older mice (>12 m.o.). While anecdotally reported as problematic, there are no published comparisons of Tam mediated cre induction at early and late ages. Here, microglial-specific Cx3cr1 creERT 2 mice were crossed to a floxed NuTRAP reporter to compare cre induction at early (3-6 m.o.) and late (20 m.o.) ages. Specificity and efficiency of microglial labeling at 21-22 m.o. were identical in mice induced with Tam at 3-6 m.o. or 20 m.o. of age. Age-related microglial translatomic changes were also similar regardless of Tam induction age. Each cre and flox mouse line should be validated independently, however, these findings demonstrate that Tam-mediated cre induction can be performed even into older mouse ages.

Immunology of Aging: the Birth of Inflammaging

The inflammaging concept was introduced in 2000 by Prof. Franceschi. This was an evolutionary or rather a revolutionary conceptualization of the immune changes in response to a lifelong stress. This conceptualization permitted to consider the lifelong proinflammatory process as an adaptation which could eventually lead to either beneficial or detrimental consequences. This dichotomy is influenced by both the genetics and the environment. Depending on which way prevails in an individual, the outcome may be healthy longevity or pathological aging burdened with aging-related diseases. The concept of inflammaging has also revealed the complex, systemic nature of aging. Thus, this conceptualization opens the way to consider age-related processes in their complexity, meaning that not only the process but also all counter-processes should be considered. It has also opened the way to add new concepts to the original one, leading to better understanding of the nature of inflammaging and of aging itself. Finally, it showed the way towards potential multimodal interventions involving a holistic approach to optimize the aging process towards a healthy longevity.

Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Frailty and Metabolic Syndromes-Two Sides of the Same Coin

In developed countries, aging is often seen as typical, but it is made complicated by many disorders and co-morbidities. Insulin resistance seems to be an underlying pathomechanism in frailty and metabolic syndromes. The decline in insulin sensitivity leads to changes in the oxidant-antioxidant balance and an accelerated inflammatory response, especially by adipocytes and macrophages in adipose tissue, as well as muscle mass density. Thus, in the pathophysiology of syndemic disorders-the metabolic syndrome and frailty syndrome-an extremely important role may be played by increased oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory state. Papers included in this review explored available full texts and the reference lists of relevant studies from the last 20 years, before the end of 2022; we also investigated the PubMed and Google Scholar electronic databases. The online resources describing an elderly population (≥65 years old) published as full texts were searched for the following terms: "oxidative stress and/or inflammation", "frailty and/or metabolic syndrome". Then, all resources were analyzed and narratively described in the context of oxidative stress and/or inflammation markers which underlie pathomechanisms of frailty and/or metabolic syndromes in elderly patients. So far, different metabolic pathways discussed in this review show that a similar pathogenesis underlies the development of the metabolic as well as frailty syndromes in the context of increased oxidative stress and acceleration of inflammation. Thus, we argue that the syndemia of the syndromes represents two sides of the same coin.

Long-term human spaceflight and inflammaging: Does it promote aging?

Spaceflight and its associated stressors, such as microgravity, radiation exposure, confinement, circadian derailment and disruptive workloads represent an unprecedented type of exposome that is entirely novel from an evolutionary stand point. Within this perspective, we aimed to review the effects of prolonged spaceflight on immune-neuroendocrine systems, brain and brain-gut axis, cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal apparatus, highlighting in particular the similarities with an accelerated aging process. In particular, spaceflight-induced muscle atrophy/sarcopenia and bone loss, vascular and metabolic changes, hyper and hypo reaction of innate and adaptive immune system appear to be modifications shared with the aging process. Most of these modifications are mediated by molecular events that include oxidative and mitochondrial stress, autophagy, DNA damage repair and telomere length alteration, among others, which directly or indirectly converge on the activation of an inflammatory response. According to the inflammaging theory of aging, such an inflammatory response could be a driver of an acceleration of the normal, physiological rate of aging and it is likely that all the systemic modifications in turn lead to an increase of inflammaging in a sort of vicious cycle. The most updated countermeasures to fight these modifications will be also discussed in the light of their possible application not only for astronauts' benefit, but also for older adults on the ground.

Role of Autophagy in HIV-1 and Drug Abuse-Mediated Neuroinflammaging

Chronic low-grade inflammation remains an essential feature of HIV-1 infection under combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) and contributes to the accelerated cognitive defects and aging in HIV-1 infected populations, indicating cART limitations in suppressing viremia. Interestingly, ~50% of the HIV-1 infected population on cART that develops cognitive defects is complicated by drug abuse, involving the activation of cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and neurotoxin release, altogether leading to neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation is the hallmark feature of many neurodegenerative disorders, including HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Impaired autophagy has been identified as one of the underlying mechanisms of HAND in treated HIV-1-infected people that also abuse drugs. Several lines of evidence suggest that autophagy regulates CNS cells' responses and maintains cellular hemostasis. The impairment of autophagy is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation and immune senescence, a known characteristic of pathological aging. Therefore, autophagy impairment due to CNS cells, such as neurons, microglia, astrocytes, and pericytes exposure to HIV-1/HIV-1 proteins, cART, and drug abuse could have combined toxicity, resulting in increased neuroinflammation, which ultimately leads to accelerated aging, referred to as neuroinflammaging. In this review, we focus on the potential role of autophagy in the mechanism of neuroinflammaging in the context of HIV-1 and drug abuse.

The diseased kidney: aging and senescent immunology

Immunosenescence is the deterioration of the innate and adaptive immune systems associated with aging and is primarily characterized by a reduction in T cell production and accumulation of atypical subsets. Age-related immunological dysfunction leads to impaired immune protection and persistent low-grade chronic inflammation, resulting in a decreased vaccination response and increased vulnerability to infection, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune disease in the elderly. As the elderly constitute a growing proportion of the population with renal disease, immunosenescence is a normal aging process that is prevalent among older people. In addition, immunosenescence seems to be more pronounced in patients with kidney diseases than in healthy controls, as shown by severe chronic inflammation, accumulation of immune cells with the senescent phenotype (CD28− T cells, CD14+CD16+ monocytes), and proinflammatory cytokine production. Immunosenescence inhibits immunological clearance and renal tissue regeneration, thereby increasing the risk of permanent renal damage, infection, and cardiovascular events in patients with kidney disease, lowering the prognosis, and even influencing the efficacy of renal replacement treatment. Biological drugs (senomorphics and senolytics) target the aging immune system and exert renoprotective effects. This review aims to emphasize the features of immunosenescence and its influence on kidney diseases and immunotherapy, highlighting the future directions of kidney disease treatment using senescence-focused techniques.

Frailty biomarkers under the perspective of geroscience: A narrative review

Cellular and molecular aging biomarkers might contribute to identify at-risk individuals for frailty before overt clinical manifestations appear. Although studies on the associations of aging biomarkers and frailty exist, no investigation has gathered this information using a structured framework for identifying aging biomarkers; as a result, the evidence on frailty and aging biomarkers is diffuse and incomplete. Therefore, this narrative review aimed to gather information on the associations of the hallmarks of aging and frailty under the perspective of geroscience. The literature on human studies on this topic is sparse and mainly composed of cross-sectional investigations performed in small study samples. The main putative aging biomarkers associated to frailty were: mitochondrial DNA copy number (genomic instability and mitochondrial dysfunction), telomere length (telomere attrition), global DNA methylation (epigenetic alterations), Hsp70 and Hsp72 (loss of proteostasis), IGF-1 and SIRT1 (deregulated nutrient-sensing), GDF-15 (mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence and altered intercellular communication), CD4 + and CD8 + cell percentages (cellular senescence), circulating osteogenic progenitor (COP) cells (stem cell exhaustion), and IL-6, CRP and TNF-alpha (altered intercellular communication). IGF-1, SIRT1, GDF-15, IL-6, CRP and TNF-alpha presented more evidence among these biomarkers, highlighting the importance of inflammation and nutrient sensing on frailty. Further longitudinal studies investigating biomarkers across the hallmarks of aging would provide valuable information on this topic.

Inflammation and cell-to-cell communication, two related aspects in frailty

BACKGROUND

Frailty is a complex, multi-dimensional age-related syndrome that increases the susceptibility to adverse health outcomes and poor quality of life. A growing consensus supports the contribution of chronic inflammation and immune system alterations to frailty, however a clear role of such alterations remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines together with other signaling molecules might spread from activated cells to the adjacent ones through extracellular vesicles (EVs), which have also a role in cellular aging. The aim of the present research was to investigate if EVs play a role in the immune function in frailty.  RESULTS: In 219 older adults aged 76-78 years, selected from the InveCe.Ab study (Abbiategrasso, Italy), we investigated inflammation and EVs-mediated intercellular communication. C-reactive protein (CRP) and pro- (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12 p70, TNFα and IFNγ) and anti- (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13) inflammatory cytokines were evaluated on plasma of Frail and non-Frail subjects. We reported a significant increase in CRP, interleukin-1β and -6 (IL-1β, IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) plasma levels in frailty. In female Fr subjects, we also reported an increase in interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and, surprisingly, in IL-13, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, whose increase seems to oppose the inflammaging theory. An inflammatory panel (toll-like receptors 2 and 4 (TLR2 and TLR4), tumor necrosis factor receptors TNFRec5/CD 40 and TNFRec1B/CD120B) and a panel including receptors involved in cellular senescence (insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (CD221) and interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6R)) were indeed analysed in plasma isolated large EVs (lEVs) from Frail (n = 20) and non-Frail (n = 20) subjects. In lEVs isolated from plasma of Frail subjects we reported an increase in TLR2 and TLR4, TNFRec5/CD 40 and TNFRec1B/CD120B, suggesting a chronic state of inflammation. In addition, CD221 and IL-6R increases in lEVs of Frail individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

To conclude, the pro-inflammatory status, notably the increase in circulating cytokines is pivotal to understand the potential mechanisms underlying the frailty syndrome. Moreover, cytokines release from EVs, mainly the large ones, into the extracellular space suggest their contribution to the formation of a pro-inflammatory and pro-senescent microenvironment that, in turn, can contribute to frailty.

Microglia senescence is related to neuropathic pain-associated comorbidities in the spared nerve injury model

ABSTRACT

The increased presence of senescent cells in different neurological diseases suggests the contribution of senescence in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders. Microglia can adapt to any type of disturbance of the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS) and its altered activity can lead to permanent and unresolvable damage. The aim of this work was to characterize the behavioural phenotype of spared nerve injury (SNI) mice and then associate it to senescence-related mechanisms. In this work we investigated the timing of the onset of anxiety, depression, or memory decline associated with peripheral neuropathic pain, and their correlation with the presence of microglial cellular senescence. SNI mice showed a persistent pain hypersensitivity from 3 days after surgery. 28 days after nerve injury they also developed anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. The appearance of these symptoms was coincident to a significant increase of senescence markers, such as β-galactosidase and senescent-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), at microglial level in the spinal cord and hippocampus of SNI animals. These markers were unaltered at previous time points. In murine immortalized microglial cells (BV2) stimulated with LPS 500 ng/mL for 10 days (4h/day) every other day, we observed an increase of β-galactosidase, SASP appearance, a reduction of cell viability and an increase of Senescence-Associated Heterochromatic Foci (SAHF). Therefore, present findings could represent an important step to a better understanding of the pathophysiological cellular mechanisms in comorbidities related to neuropathic pain states.

Dietary Fats and Cardio-Metabolic Outcomes in a Cohort of Italian Adults

Background: Dietary fats, and especially saturated fatty acid (SFA), have been blamed for being the culprit in the dramatic increase in obesity and its associated diseases. However multiple systematic reviews and recent meta-analyses do not support the association between SFA and cardiovascular diseases. Thus, the objective of this study was to test whether specific types and subtypes of dietary fats are associated with metabolic outcomes in a cohort of Italian adults. Methods: Nutritional and demographic data of 1936 adults living in the south of Italy were examined. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were administered to assess the intake of total dietary fat and each specific class of dietary fat, such as SFA, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). The intake of fatty acids was also examined according to the carbon-chain length of each individual class. Cases of hypertension, type-2 diabetes and dyslipidemias were collected from previous doctor-confirmed diagnosis records (or direct measurement of blood pressure). Results: After adjustment for potential confounding factors, individuals reporting higher intakes of total and saturated fats were associated with lower likelihood of having hypertension (odds ratio (OR) = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.91 and OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.89, respectively). Moreover, higher intake of short-chain saturated fatty acids (SCSFAs) and medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MCSFAs) was inversely associated with dyslipidemia and diabetes (OR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.82 and OR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.72, respectively). Among MUFAs, C18:1 was inversely associated with hypertension and diabetes (OR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.92 and OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.67, respectively), while C14:1 intake was inversely associated only with hypertension (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.88). In contrast, C20:1 intake was associated with dyslipidemia (OR = 3.35, 95% CI: 1.33, 8.42). Regarding PUFA, C18:2 and 20:5 were inversely associated with hypertension (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.60 and OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.89, respectively). Conclusions: The consumption of SFA does not seem to be harmful to cardio-metabolic health and, on the contrary, SCSFA may exert beneficial effects. Further studies are needed to clearly validate the results of the present study.

Measurement of Serum N-Glycans in the Assessment of Early Vascular Aging (Arterial Stiffness) in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

Vascular aging (arterial stiffness [AS]) is an inflammation-linked process that predicts macro- and microvascular complications in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). We evaluated the utility of measuring the inflammation-linked N-glycans GlycA and GlycB to assess vascular aging in adults with T1D.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Eighty-four adults with T1D (>10-year duration without cardiovascular events) and 68 healthy control subjects were evaluated for clinical characteristics (including microvascular complications in patients with T1D), aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) (surrogate measure of AS), and serum GlycA and GlycB (peak area [concentration] and height/width [H/W] ratio) using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

RESULTS

Patients with T1D had higher median (interquartile range) values than healthy control subjects for (P < 0.001 for all comparisons) aPWV 7.9 (6.9-9.1) vs. 6.1 (5.5-6.7) m/s, GlycA 850.4 (781.3-916.1) vs. 652.4 (581.5-727.1) μmoL; GlycB 386.1 (353.2-426.3) vs. 310.0 (280.5-331.9) μmol/L), H/W ratio of GlycA 16.5 (14.9-18.1) vs. 15.0 (13.7-16.7), and H/W ratio of GlycB 5.0 (4.6-5.5) vs. 4.0 (3.4-4.3). Moreover, aPWV correlated (P < 0.001 for all correlations) with GlycA (r = 0.550) and GlycB (r = 0.423) concentrations and with H/W ratios of GlycA (r = 0.453) and GlycB (r = 0.510). Adjusting for potential confounders, GlycA concentration (β = 0.212, P < 0.001) and the H/W ratios of GlycA (β = 0.150, P = 0.009) and GlycB (β = 0.155, P = 0.011) remained independently associated with aPWV. C-statistics for detecting individuals with aPWV >10 m/s were 0.866 (95% CI 0.794-0.937) for GlycA levels and 0.862 (0.780-0.943) for H/W ratio of GlycB.

CONCLUSIONS

Measurement of serum GlycA and GlycB may have utility in assessing vascular aging in adults with T1D of >10-year duration and no previous cardiovascular events.

Immunoglobulin G glycans - Biomarkers and molecular effectors of aging

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are post-translationally modified by the addition of complex carbohydrate molecules - glycans, which have profound effects on the IgG function, most significantly as modulators of its inflammatory capacity. Therefore, it is not surprising that the changes in IgG glycosylation pattern are associated with various physiological states and diseases, including aging and age-related diseases. Importantly, within the inflammaging concept, IgG glycans are considered not only biomarkers but one of the molecular effectors of the aging process. The exact mechanism by which they exert their function, however, remains unknown. In this review, we list and comment on, to our knowledge, all studies that examined changes in IgG glycosylation during aging in humans. We focus on the information obtained from studies on general population, but we also cover the insights obtained from studies of long-lived individuals and people with age-related diseases. We summarize the current knowledge on how levels of different IgG glycans change with age (i.e., the extent and direction of the change with age) and discuss the potential mechanisms and possible functional roles of changes in IgG glycopattern that accompany aging.

Mechanoimmunology: Are inflammatory epigenetic states of macrophages tuned by biophysical factors?

Many inflammatory diseases that are responsible for a majority of deaths are still uncurable, in part as the underpinning pathomechanisms and how to combat them is still poorly understood. Tissue-resident macrophages play pivotal roles in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis, but if they gradually convert to proinflammatory phenotypes, or if blood-born proinflammatory macrophages persist long-term after activation, they contribute to chronic inflammation and fibrosis. While biochemical factors and how they regulate the inflammatory transcriptional response of macrophages have been at the forefront of research to identify targets for therapeutic interventions, evidence is increasing that physical factors also tune the macrophage phenotype. Recently, several mechanisms have emerged as to how physical factors impact the mechanobiology of macrophages, from the nuclear translocation of transcription factors to epigenetic modifications, perhaps even DNA methylation. Insight into the mechanobiology of macrophages and associated epigenetic modifications will deliver novel therapeutic options going forward, particularly in the context of increased inflammation with advancing age and age-related diseases. We review here how biophysical factors can co-regulate pro-inflammatory gene expression and epigenetic modifications and identify knowledge gaps that require urgent attention if this therapeutic potential is to be realized.

Age-associated alterations in immune function and inflammation

Immunosenescence is a term used to describe the age-related changes in the immune system. Immunosenescence is associated with complex alterations and dysregulation of immune function and inflammatory processes. Age-related changes in innate immune responses including alterations in chemotactic, phagocytic, and natural killing functions, impaired antigen presenting capacity, and dysregulated inflammatory response have been described. The most striking and best characterized feature of immunosenescence is the decline in both number and function of T cells. With age there is decreased proliferation, decreased number of antigen-naïve T cells, and increased number of antigen-experienced memory T cells. This decline in naïve T cell population is associated with impaired immunity and reduced response to new or mutated pathogens. While the absolute number of peripheral B cells appears constant with age, changes in B cell functions including reduced antibody production and response and cell memory have been described. However, the main alteration in cell-mediated function that has been reported across all species with aging is those observed in in T cell. These T cell mediated changes have been shown to contribute to increased susceptibility to infection and cancer in older adults. In addition to functional and phenotype alterations in immune cells, studies demonstrate that circulating concentrations of inflammatory mediators in older adults are higher than those of young. This low grade, chronic inflammatory state that occurs in the context of aging has been termed "inflammaging". This review will focus on age-related changes in the immune system including immunosenescence and inflammation as well as the functional consequences of these age-related alterations for the aged.

Living in endemic area for infectious diseases accelerates epigenetic age

Inflammaging is a low-grade inflammatory state generated by the aging process that can contribute to frailty and age-related diseases in the elderly. However, it can have distinct effects in the elderly living in endemic areas for infectious diseases. An increased inflammatory response may confer protection against infectious agents in these areas, although this advantage can cause accelerating epigenetic aging. In this study, we evaluated the inflammatory profile and the epigenetic age of infected and noninfected individuals from an endemic area in Brazil. The profile of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors analyzed in the sera of the two groups of individuals showed similarities, although infected individuals had a higher concentration of these mediators. A significant increase in IL-1ra, CXCL8, CCL2, CCL3 and CCL4 production was associated with leprosy infection. Notably, elderly individuals displayed distinct immune responses associated with their infection status when compared to adults suggesting an adaptive remodelling of their immune responses. Epigenetic analysis also showed that there was no difference in epigenetic age between the two groups of individuals. However, individuals from the endemic area had a significant accelerated aging when compared to individuals from São Paulo, a non-endemic area in Brazil. Moreover, the latter cohort was also epigenetically aged in relation to an Italian cohort. Our data shows that living in endemic areas for chronic infectious diseases results in remodelling of inflammaging and acceleration of epigenetic aging in individuals regardless of their infectious status. It also highlights that geographical, genetic and environmental factors influence aging and immunosenescence in their pace and profile.

Effects of Periodontal Treatment on Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Patients with Chronic Periodontitis: A Meta-Analysis

Background

During the progression of chronic periodontitis (CP), changes in the levels of inflammatory factors are detected in serum and gingival sulcus fluid (GCF). The aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically evaluate the effect of periodontal treatment on GCF and serum proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-8) in patients with CP.

Methods

Literature searches were performed through PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Database. Randomized controlled trials comparing cytokine levels in periodontal treatment (experimental group) and control group between 2015 and 2020 were included.

Results

There were a total of 13 studies included with 1220 patients. There were 630 cases in the experimental group and 590 cases in the control group. The meta-analysis showed that IL-6 levels in the GCF (SMD = −2.88, 95% CI (-3.68, -2.09), P < 0.001) and serum (SMD = −1.27, 95% CI (-1.72, -0.81), P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the experimental group compared with those before treatment. In addition, IL-8 levels in the GCF (SMD = −2.08, 95% CI (-3.40, -0.76), P < 0.001) and serum (SMD = −1.73, 95% CI (-2.76, -0.70), P < 0.001) were decreased after periodontal treatment, but more than that, a decrease was observed in TNF-α levels of GCF (SMD = −3.98, 95% CI (-5.23, -2.73), P < 0.001) and serum (SMD = −1.80, 95% CI (-3.16, -0.45), P < 0.001) after treatment.

Conclusion

After periodontal therapy, the proinflammatory cytokines in the GCF and serum of patients with CP were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment, and the efficacy was remarkable.

Oxidative stress, aging, antioxidant supplementation and their impact on human health: An overview

Aging is characterized by a progressive loss of tissue and organ function due to genetic and environmental factors, nutrition, and lifestyle. Oxidative stress is one the most important mechanisms of cellular senescence and increased frailty, resulting in several age-linked, noncommunicable diseases. Contributing events include genomic instability, telomere shortening, epigenetic mechanisms, reduced proteome homeostasis, altered stem-cell function, defective intercellular communication, progressive deregulation of nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic unbalance. These complex events and their interplay can be modulated by dietary habits and the ageing process, acting as potential measures of primary and secondary prevention. Promising nutritional approaches include the Mediterranean diet, the intake of dietary antioxidants, and the restriction of caloric intake. A comprehensive understanding of the ageing processes should promote new biomarkers of risk or diagnosis, but also beneficial treatments oriented to increase lifespan.

Antiaging Mechanism of Natural Compounds: Effects on Autophagy and Oxidative Stress

Aging is a natural biological process that manifests as the progressive loss of function in cells, tissues, and organs. Because mechanisms that are meant to promote cellular longevity tend to decrease in effectiveness with age, it is no surprise that aging presents as a major risk factor for many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and diabetes. Oxidative stress, an imbalance between the intracellular antioxidant and overproduction of reactive oxygen species, is known to promote the aging process. Autophagy, a major pathway for protein turnover, is considered as one of the hallmarks of aging. Given the progressive physiologic degeneration and increased risk for disease that accompanies aging, many studies have attempted to discover new compounds that may aid in the reversal of the aging process. Here, we summarize the antiaging mechanism of natural or naturally derived synthetic compounds involving oxidative stress and autophagy. These compounds include: 2-cyano-3,12-dioxoolean-1,9-dien-28-oic acid (CDDO) derivatives (synthetic triterpenoids derived from naturally occurring oleanolic acid), caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE, the active ingredient in honey bee propolis), xanthohumol (a prenylated flavonoid identified in the hops plant), guggulsterone (a plant steroid found in the resin of the guggul plant), resveratrol (a natural phenol abundantly found in grape), and sulforaphane (a sulfur-containing compound found in cruciferous vegetables).

Functional transcriptomic analysis of centenarians' offspring reveals a specific genetic footprint that may explain that they are less frail than age-matched non-centenarians' offspring

Centenarians exhibit extreme longevity and compression of morbidity and display a unique genetic signature. Centenarians' offspring seem to inherit centenarians' compression of morbidity, as measured by lower rates of age-related pathologies. We aimed to ascertain whether centenarians' offspring are less frail and whether they are endowed with a "centenarian genetic footprint" in a case-control study, matched 1:1 for gender, age ±5 years, and place of birth and residence. Cases must have a living parent aged 97 years or older, aged 65-80 years, community-dwelling, not suffering from a terminal illness, or less than 6 months of life expectancy. Controls had to meet the same criteria as cases except for the age of death of their parents (not older than 89 years). Centenarians were individuals 97 years or older. Frailty phenotype was determined by Fried's Criteria. We collected plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 63 centenarians, 88 centenarians' offspring, and 88 non-centenarians' offspring. miRNA expression and mRNA profiles were performed by the GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and GeneChip Clariom S Human Array (Thermo Fisher Scientific), respectively. We found a lower incidence of frailty among centenarians' offspring when compared to their contemporaries' non- centenarians' offspring (p <0.01). Both miRNA and mRNA expression patterns in centenarians' offspring were more like those of centenarians than those of non-centenarians' offspring (p <0.01). in conclusion, centenarians' offspring are less frail than age-matched non-centenarians' offspring, and this may be explained by their unique genetic endowment.

Intestinal Flora Changes Induced by a High-Fat Diet Promote Activation of Primordial Follicles through Macrophage Infiltration and Inflammatory Factor Secretion in Mouse Ovaries

Obesity induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) leads to the excessive consumption of primordial follicles (PFs) in the ovaries. There is systemic chronic inflammation under HFD conditions, but no previous studies have explored whether there is a certain causal relationship between HFD-induced chronic inflammation and the overactivation of PFs. Here, we showed that HFD causes disorders of intestinal microflora in mice, with five Gram-negative bacteria showing the most profound increase at the genus level compared to the normal diet (ND) groups and contributes to the production of endotoxin. Endotoxin promotes M1 macrophage infiltration in the ovaries, where they exhibit proinflammatory actions by secreting cytokines IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα. These cytokines then boost the activation of PFs by activating Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling in follicles. Interestingly, transplantation of the HFD intestinal microflora to the ND mice partly replicates ovarian macrophage infiltration, proinflammation, and the overactivation of PFs. Conversely, transplanting the ND fecal microbiota to the HFD mice can alleviate ovarian inflammation and rescue the excessive consumption of PFs. Our findings uncover a novel and critical function of gut microbes in the process of PF overactivation under HFD conditions, and may provide a new theoretical basis for the microbial treatment of patients with premature ovarian insufficiency caused by HFD.

Immunosenescence and Altered Vaccine Efficiency in Older Subjects: A Myth Difficult to Change

Organismal ageing is associated with many physiological changes, including differences in the immune system of most animals. These differences are often considered to be a key cause of age-associated diseases as well as decreased vaccine responses in humans. The most often cited vaccine failure is seasonal influenza, but, while it is usually the case that the efficiency of this vaccine is lower in older than younger adults, this is not always true, and the reasons for the differential responses are manifold. Undoubtedly, changes in the innate and adaptive immune response with ageing are associated with failure to respond to the influenza vaccine, but the cause is unclear. Moreover, recent advances in vaccine formulations and adjuvants, as well as in our understanding of immune changes with ageing, have contributed to the development of vaccines, such as those against herpes zoster and SARS-CoV-2, that can protect against serious disease in older adults just as well as in younger people. In the present article, we discuss the reasons why it is a myth that vaccines inevitably protect less well in older individuals, and that vaccines represent one of the most powerful means to protect the health and ensure the quality of life of older adults.

Senotherapeutics in Cancer and HIV

Cellular senescence is a stress-response mechanism that contributes to homeostasis maintenance, playing a beneficial role during embryogenesis and in normal adult organisms. In contrast, chronic senescence activation may be responsible for other events such as age-related disorders, HIV and cancer development. Cellular senescence activation can be triggered by different insults. Regardless of the inducer, there are several phenotypes generally shared among senescent cells: cell division arrest, an aberrant shape, increased size, high granularity because of increased numbers of lysosomes and vacuoles, apoptosis resistance, defective metabolism and some chromatin alterations. Senescent cells constitute an important area for research due to their contributions to the pathogenesis of different diseases such as frailty, sarcopenia and aging-related diseases, including cancer and HIV infection, which show an accelerated aging. Hence, a new pharmacological category of treatments called senotherapeutics is under development. This group includes senolytic drugs that selectively attack senescent cells and senostatic drugs that suppress SASP factor delivery, inhibiting senescent cell development. These new drugs can have positive therapeutic effects on aging-related disorders and act in cancer as antitumor drugs, avoiding the undesired effects of senescent cells such as those from SASP. Here, we review senotherapeutics and how they might affect cancer and HIV disease, two very different aging-related diseases, and review some compounds acting as senolytics in clinical trials.

Immunoglobulin G glycome composition in transition from premenopause to postmenopause

Gonadal hormones affect immunoglobulin G (IgG) glycosylation, and the more proinflammatory IgG glycome composition might be one of the molecular mechanisms behind the increased proinflammatory phenotype in perimenopause. Using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, we analyzed IgG glycome composition in 5,080 samples from 1940 pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women. Statistically significant decrease in galactosylation and sialylation was observed in postmenopausal women. Furthermore, during the transition from pre- to postmenopausal period, the rate of increase in agalactosylated structures (0.051/yr; 95%CI = 0.043-0.059, p < 0.001) and decrease in digalactosylated (-0.043/yr; 95%CI = -0.050 to -0.037, p < 0.001) and monosialylated glycans (-0.029/yr; 95%CI = -0.034 to -0.024, p < 0.001) were significantly higher than in either pre- or postmenopausal periods. The conversion to the more proinflammatory IgG glycome and the resulting decrease in the ability of IgG to suppress low-grade chronic inflammation may be an important molecular mechanism mediating the increased health risk in perimenopause and postmenopause.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients and Obesity-Associated Metabolic-Inflammation: State of the Art and Future Direction

Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that dietary factors may play a role in systemic low-grade chronic inflammation. Summary evidence from randomized controlled trials has shown substantial effects on biomarkers of inflammation following the adoption of plant-based diets (including, but not limited to, the Mediterranean diet), while consistent findings have been reported for higher intakes of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables and positive trends observed for the consumption of legumes, pulses, nuts, and olive oil. Among animal food groups, dairy products have been shown to have the best benefits on biomarkers of inflammation, while red meat and egg have been shown to have neutral effects. The present review provides an overview of the mechanisms underlying the relation between dietary factors and immune system, with a focus on specific macronutrient and non-nutrient phytochemicals (polyphenols) and low-grade inflammation. Substantial differences within each macronutrient group may explain the conflicting results obtained regarding foods high in saturated fats and carbohydrates, underlying the role of specific subtypes of molecules (i.e., short-chain fatty acids or fiber vs. long chain fatty acids or free added sugars) when exploring the relation between diet and inflammation, as well as the importance of the food matrix and the commixture of foods in the context of whole dietary patterns. Dietary polyphenols and oligopeptides have been hypothesized to exert several functions, including the regulation of the inflammatory response and effects on the immune system. Overall, evidence suggests that dietary factors may affect the immune system regardless of obesity-related inflammation.

Novel Insight into the Serum Sphingolipid Fingerprint Characterizing Longevity

Sphingolipids (SLs) are structural components of the lipid bilayer regulating cell functions. In biological fluids, their distribution is sex-specific and is at variance in aging and many disorders. The aim of this study is to identify SL species associated with the decelerated aging of centenarians. SLs, extracted from serum of adults (Ad, 35–37 years old), aged (Ag, 75–77 years old) and centenarian (C, 105–107 years old) women were analyzed by LC-MS/MS in combination with mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of SL biosynthetic enzymes. Results indicated in Ag and C vs. Ad a comparable ceramides (Cers) increase, whereas dihydroceramide (dhCer) decreased in C vs. Ad. Hexosylceramides (HexCer) species, specifically HexCer 16:0, 22:0 and 24:1 acyl chains, increased in C vs. Ag representing a specific trait of C. Sphingosine (Sph), dihydrosphingosine (dhSph), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and dihydrosphingosine-1-phosphate (dhS1P), increased both in Ag and C vs. Ad, with higher levels in Ag, indicating a SL fine-tuning associated with a reduced physiological decline in C. mRNA levels of enzymes involved in ceramide de novo biosynthesis increased in Ag whereas enzymes involved in sphingomyelin (SM) degradation increased in C. Collectively, results suggest that Ag produce Cers by de novo synthesis whereas C activate a protective mechanism degrading SMs to Cers converting it into glycosphingolipids.

Mild-to-severe traumatic brain injury in children: altered cytokines reflect severity

Background

Paediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is recognised to have significant longer-term neurocognitive effects. Childhood is a time of high risk for head injury. Functional recovery is variable with a combination of any or all of physical, cognitive and emotional impairment. Immune activation and alteration in cytokine levels are present following TBI which may differ from adults.

Methods

Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines including Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α and Interferon (IFN)-γ were examined at baseline and following in vitro treatment with endotoxin of whole blood, in the following children: severe TBI (sTBI: initial Glasgow coma scale(GCS) ≤ 8), mild TBI (mTBI; GCS 14/15) at 0-4d and at 10-14d post-TBI and compared to healthy age-matched controls.

Results

The study enrolled 208 children, including 110 with TBI cohort (n = 104 mild; 6 severe) and controls (n = 98). At baseline all children with TBI had increased IL-6. The mTBI group had significantly increased IFN-γ versus controls. In sTBI at baseline, IFN-γ was decreased compared to controls. At baseline IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, and TNF-α were decreased in mTBI compared to controls. This persisted at 2 week post-mTBI. The AUC for detecting mTBI was 0.801 CI (0.73–086) using IL6/IL10 ratio. mTBI showed a greater fold change in IL-8 and TNF-α in response to endotoxin stimulation, a response that persisted at 2 weeks. Children with sTBI did not have a significant IL-6 response to endotoxin, but did show an increase in IL-17A.

Conclusion

Children with all TBI including mTBI show altered cytokine profiles and altered endotoxin responses. Although cytokines increased in sTBI especially in response to endotoxin, suppressed responses were found in mTBI coupled with persistent immune dysfunction post-injury.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12974-022-02390-5.

Inflammaging and Brain: Curcumin and Its Beneficial Potential as Regulator of Microglia Activation

Inflammaging is a term used to describe the tight relationship between low-grade chronic inflammation and aging that occurs during physiological aging in the absence of evident infection. This condition has been linked to a broad spectrum of age-related disorders in various organs including the brain. Inflammaging represents a highly significant risk factor for the development and progression of age-related conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases which are characterized by the progressive dysfunction and degeneration of neurons in the brain and peripheral nervous system. Curcumin is a widely studied polyphenol isolated from Curcuma longa with a variety of pharmacologic properties. It is well-known for its healing properties and has been extensively used in Asian medicine to treat a variety of illness conditions. The number of studies that suggest beneficial effects of curcumin on brain pathologies and age-related diseases is increasing. Curcumin is able to inhibit the formation of reactive-oxygen species and other pro-inflammatory mediators that are believed to play a pivotal role in many age-related diseases. Curcumin has been recently proposed as a potential useful remedy against neurodegenerative disorders and brain ageing. In light of this, our current review aims to discuss the potential positive effects of Curcumin on the possibility to control inflammaging emphasizing the possible modulation of inflammaging processes in neurodegenerative diseases.

Hypothalamic inflammation in metabolic disorders and aging

The hypothalamus is a critical brain region for the regulation of energy homeostasis. Over the years, studies on energy metabolism primarily focused on the neuronal component of the hypothalamus. Studies have recently uncovered the vital role of glial cells as an additional player in energy balance regulation. However, their inflammatory activation under metabolic stress condition contributes to various metabolic diseases. The recruitment of monocytes and macrophages in the hypothalamus helps sustain such inflammation and worsens the disease state. Neurons were found to actively participate in hypothalamic inflammatory response by transmitting signals to the surrounding non-neuronal cells. This activation of different cell types in the hypothalamus leads to chronic, low-grade inflammation, impairing energy balance and contributing to defective feeding habits, thermogenesis, and insulin and leptin signaling, eventually leading to metabolic disorders (i.e., diabetes, obesity, and hypertension). The hypothalamus is also responsible for the causation of systemic aging under metabolic stress. A better understanding of the multiple factors contributing to hypothalamic inflammation, the role of the different hypothalamic cells, and their crosstalks may help identify new therapeutic targets. In this review, we focus on the role of glial cells in establishing a cause-effect relationship between hypothalamic inflammation and the development of metabolic diseases. We also cover the role of other cell types and discuss the possibilities and challenges of targeting hypothalamic inflammation as a valid therapeutic approach.

Molecular Basis of Accelerated Aging with Immune Dysfunction-Mediated Inflammation (Inflamm-Aging) in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic connective tissue disorder characterized by immune dysregulation, chronic inflammation, vascular endothelial cell dysfunction, and progressive tissue fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Moreover, increased cancer incidence and accelerated aging are also found. The increased cancer incidence is believed to be a result of chromosome instability. Accelerated cellular senescence has been confirmed by the shortening of telomere length due to increased DNA breakage, abnormal DNA repair response, and telomerase deficiency mediated by enhanced oxidative/nitrative stresses. The immune dysfunctions of SSc patients are manifested by excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, IL-17, IFN-α, and TNF-α, which can elicit potent tissue inflammation followed by tissue fibrosis. Furthermore, a number of autoantibodies including anti-topoisomerase 1 (anti-TOPO-1), anti-centromere (ACA or anti-CENP-B), anti-RNA polymerase enzyme (anti-RNAP III), anti-ribonuclear proteins (anti-U1, U2, and U11/U12 RNP), anti-nucleolar antigens (anti-Th/T0, anti-NOR90, anti-Ku, anti-RuvBL1/2, and anti-PM/Scl), and anti-telomere-associated proteins were also found. Based on these data, inflamm-aging caused by immune dysfunction-mediated inflammation exists in patients with SSc. Hence, increased cellular senescence is elicited by the interactions among excessive oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and autoantibodies. In the present review, we will discuss in detail the molecular basis of chromosome instability, increased oxidative stress, and functional adaptation by deranged immunome, which are related to inflamm-aging in patients with SSc.

Fundamentals of Membrane Lipid Replacement: A Natural Medicine Approach to Repairing Cellular Membranes and Reducing Fatigue, Pain, and Other Symptoms While Restoring Function in Chronic Illnesses and Aging

Membrane Lipid Replacement (MLR) uses natural membrane lipid supplements to safely replace damaged, oxidized lipids in membranes in order to restore membrane function, decrease symptoms and improve health. Oral MLR supplements contain mixtures of cell membrane glycerolphospholipids, fatty acids, and other lipids, and can be used to replace and remove damaged cellular and intracellular membrane lipids. Membrane injury, caused mainly by oxidative damage, occurs in essentially all chronic and acute medical conditions, including cancer and degenerative diseases, and in normal processes, such as aging and development. After ingestion, the protected MLR glycerolphospholipids and other lipids are dispersed, absorbed, and internalized in the small intestines, where they can be partitioned into circulating lipoproteins, globules, liposomes, micelles, membranes, and other carriers and transported in the lymphatics and blood circulation to tissues and cellular sites where they are taken in by cells and partitioned into various cellular membranes. Once inside cells, the glycerolphospholipids and other lipids are transferred to various intracellular membranes by lipid carriers, globules, liposomes, chylomicrons, or by direct membrane-membrane interactions. The entire process appears to be driven by 'bulk flow' or mass action principles, where surplus concentrations of replacement lipids can stimulate the natural exchange and removal of damaged membrane lipids while the replacement lipids undergo further enzymatic alterations. Clinical studies have demonstrated the advantages of MLR in restoring membrane and organelle function and reducing fatigue, pain, and other symptoms in chronic illness and aging patients.

Immunosenescence and inflammaging in the aging process: age-related diseases or longevity?

During aging the immune system (IS) undergoes remarkable changes that collectively are known as immunosenescence. It is a multifactorial and dynamic phenomenon that affects both natural and acquired immunity and plays a critical role in most chronic diseases in older people. For a long time, immunosenescence has been considered detrimental because it may lead to a low-grade, sterile chronic inflammation we proposed to call "inflammaging" and a progressive reduction in the ability to trigger effective antibody and cellular responses against infections and vaccinations. Recently, many scientists revised this negative meaning because it can be considered an essential adaptation/remodeling resulting from the lifelong immunological biography of single individuals from an evolutionary perspective. Inflammaging can be considered an adaptive process because it can trigger an anti-inflammatory response to counteract the age-related pro-inflammatory environment. Centenarians represent a valuable model to study the beneficial changes occurring in the IS with age. These extraordinary individuals reached the extreme limits of human life by slowing down the aging process and, in most cases, delaying, avoiding or surviving the major age-associated diseases. They indeed show a complex and heterogeneous phenotype determined by an improved ability to adapt and remodel in response to harmful stimuli. This review aims to point out the intimate relationship between immunosenescence and inflammaging and how these processes impact unsuccessful aging rather than longevity. We also describe the gut microbiota age-related changes as one of the significant triggers of inflammaging and the sex/gender differences in the immune system of the elderly, contributing to the sex/gender disparity in terms of epidemiology, pathophysiology, symptoms and severity of age-related diseases. Finally, we discuss how these phenomena could influence the susceptibility to COVID-19 infection.

Implications of Inflammatory States on Dysfunctional Immune Responses in Aging and Obesity

Aging and obesity are two conditions characterized by chronic, low-grade inflammation. While both conditions are also associated with dysfunctional immune responses, the shared and distinct underlying mechanisms are just starting to be uncovered. In fact, recent findings have suggested that the effects of obesity on the immune system can be thought of as a state of accelerated aging. Here we propose that chronic, low-grade inflammation seen in obesity and aging is complex, affects multiple cell types, and results in an altered basal immune state. In aging, part of this altered state is the emergence of regulatory immune populations that lead to further immune dysfunction in an attempt to reduce chronic inflammation. While in obesity, part of the altered state is the effect of expanding adipose tissue on immune cell function. Thus, in this review, we compare, and contrast altered immune states in aging and obesity and discuss their potential contribution to a shared clinical problem- decreased vaccine responsiveness.

Stage-Dependent Within-Individual Comparison Reveals SIV-Specific Activation/Exhaustion Shift in Rhesus Macaques

It is challenging to trace the complicated individual-based variations of HIV-specific immunocompetence shift during the successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) era. Using eight rhesus monkeys simulating a longitudinal stage-dependent cohort (baseline-SIV acute infection-SIV suppression by ART-ART withdrawal), baseline immunocompetence monitoring for 28 days (SIV-negative stage, SN) was compared with host immunocompetence undergoing 90-day ART treatment (SIV-suppressed stage, SS) to reveal the SIV-specific immunity shift aroused by undetectable individual viral replication. During acute SIV infection for 98 days (SIV-emerged stage, SE), immune activation was compared with re-immune activation post ART for 49-day follow-up (SIV-rebounded stage, SR) to reveal the SIV-specific immune activation variation aroused by detectable individual viral replication. Individual immunocompetence was measured by co-expression of CD4, CD8, CD38, HLA-DR, CCR7, CD45RA, and PD-1 on T cells and a cytokine panel. Compared with SN, mild immune activation/exhaustion was characterized by increased CD38⁺ HLA-DR^– CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T-cell subsets and PD-1⁺ memory CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T-cell subsets with three elevated cytokines (MIP-1β, IL-8, and IL-10) significantly emerged in SS. Compared with SE, SR produced more exhaustion characterized by increased PD-1⁺ CD4⁺ T_CM cells and decreased PD-1⁺ CD4⁺ T_EM cells with four elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). By such individualized stage-dependent comparison, the sustainable immune activation was found from activation/exhaustion shifted into exhaustion during the longitudinal viral persistence. Further, validated SIV accelerates host immunosenescence continuously independent of viral replication.

Mitochondrial Secrets of Youthfulness

SUMMARY

The genetic basis of youthfulness is poorly understood. The aging of skin depends on both intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors include personal genetics, and extrinsic factors include environmental exposure to solar radiation and pollution. We recently reported the critical role of the mitochondria in skin aging phenotypes: wrinkle formation, hair graying, hair loss, and uneven skin pigmentation. This article focuses on molecular mechanisms, specifically mitochondrial mechanisms underlying skin aging. This contribution describes the development of an mitochondrial DNA depleter-repleter mouse model and its usefulness in developing strategies and identifying potential agents that can either prevent, slow, or mitigate skin aging, lentigines, and hair loss. The ongoing research efforts include the transplantation of young mitochondria to rejuvenate aging skin and hair to provide youthfulness in humans.

Urinary neopterin of wild chimpanzees indicates that cell-mediated immune activity varies by age, sex, and female reproductive status

The study of free-living animal populations is necessary to understand life history trade-offs associated with immune investment. To investigate the role of life history strategies in shaping proinflammatory cell-mediated immune function, we analyzed age, sex, and reproductive status as predictors of urinary neopterin in 70 sexually mature chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda. In the absence of clinical signs of acute infectious disease, neopterin levels significantly increased with age in both male and female chimpanzees, as observed in humans and several other vertebrate species. Furthermore, males exhibited higher neopterin levels than females across adulthood. Finally, females with full sexual swellings, pregnant females, and post-reproductive females, the oldest individuals in our sample, exhibited higher neopterin levels than lactating females and cycling females without full swellings. Variation in females' neopterin levels by reproductive status is consistent with post-ovulatory and pregnancy-related immune patterns documented in humans. Together, our results provide evidence of ample variation in chimpanzee immune activity corresponding to biodemographic and physiological variation. Future studies comparing immune activity across ecological conditions and social systems are essential for understanding the life histories of primates and other mammals.

Infiltrating Hematogenous Macrophages Aggregate Around β-Amyloid Plaques in an Age- and Sex-Dependent Manner in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease

β-Amyloid (Aβ) plaques can trigger chronic inflammation in the cellular environment that recruits infiltrating macrophages during the course of Alzheimer disease (AD). Activated macrophages release pro-inflammatory cytokines that increase neurotoxicity associated with AD. A major impediment to investigating neuroinflammation involving macrophage activity is the inability to discriminate resident microglial macrophages (mMϕ) from hematogenous macrophages (hMϕ), as they are morphologically and phenotypically similar when activated. To distinguish between mMϕ and hMϕ and to determine their respective roles in chronic inflammation associated with the progression of amyloidosis, we used lys-EGFP-ki transgenic mice that express enhanced green fluorescent protein in hMϕ, but not in mMϕ. These mice were crossed with 5XFAD mice. The offspring demonstrated robust AD pathology and enabled visual discrimination of mMϕ from hMϕ. Mutant mice demonstrated robust increases in Aβ1-42, area of Aβ plaques, gliosis and deficits in spatial learning by age 5 months. The time-course of Aβ accumulation, paralleled by the accumulation of hMϕ around Aβ plaques, was more robust in female compared with male mice and preceded behavioral changes. Thus, the accumulation of infiltrating hMϕ around Aβ plaques was age- and sex-dependent and preceded cognitive impairment.

Role of Cachexia and Fragility in the Patient Candidate for Cardiac Surgery

Frailty is the major expression of accelerated aging and describes a decreased resistance to stressors, and consequently an increased vulnerability to additional diseases in elderly people. The vascular aging related to frail phenotype reflects the high susceptibility for cardiovascular diseases and negative postoperative outcomes after cardiac surgery. Sarcopenia can be considered a biological substrate of physical frailty. Malnutrition and physical inactivity play a key role in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia. We searched on Medline (PubMed) and Scopus for relevant literature published over the last 10 years and analyzed the strong correlation between frailty, sarcopenia and cardiovascular diseases in elderly patient. In our opinion, a right food intake and moderate intensity resistance exercise are mandatory in order to better prepare patients undergoing cardiac operation.

Pain sensitivity increases more in younger runners during an ultra-marathon

OBJECTIVES

Ultra-endurance research interest has increased in parallel with an increased worldwide participation in these extreme activities. Pain-related data for the growing population of ultra-endurance athletes, however, is insufficient. More data is especially needed regarding the variation in the aging populations of these athletes. We have previously shown that peripheral and central pain sensitivity increases during an ultra-marathon. To further clarify these changes in pain sensitivity during ultra-endurance competition we investigated these variations in two age populations: Younger runners ≤ 39-year-old (younger) and an older group of runners being ≥ 40 years of age (older).

METHODS

Subjects were recruited from ultra-marathon competitions held over a three-year period in Florida, USA. All courses were flat with either hard macadam surface or soft sandy trails; run in hot, humid weather conditions. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) was measured with a pressure algometer on the distal, dominant arm before and immediately after an ultra-marathon. Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) was also measured pre and post, immediately after the PPT by placing the non-dominant hand in a cold-water bath maintained at 13.5 ± 1.5 °C. The difference between the pre and post measurements for both PPT and CPM were calculated and referred to as ΔPPT and ΔCPM, respectively for analysis. Data were analyzed with a Mixed 2 × 2 (Within X Between) MANOVA.

RESULTS

Both PPT and CPM decreased during the ultra-marathons (p<0.05) in the younger group of runners. In the older runners there was not a statistically significant decrease in PPT during the ultramarathons whereas CPM did significantly decrease statistically (p=0.031). The ΔPPT was less in the older group compared to the younger group (p=0.018). The difference between the younger and older groups ΔCPM approached statistical significance at p=0.093.

CONCLUSIONS

This statistical evidence suggests that the overall increase in peripheral and possibly central pain sensitivity was different between our age groups. Pain sensitivity during the ultra-marathon increased more in our younger group of runners than in our older group. This study suggests that there is an unidentified factor in an older population of ultra-marathon runners that results in an attenuated increase in pain sensitivity during an ultra-endurance activity. These factors may include a decreased innate immune response, lower fitness level, lower exertion during the ultra-marathon, variation in endorphin, enkephalin, endocannabinoid and psychological factors in the older age runners.

Hypothalamic microinflammation

Over the past decade, hypothalamic microinflammation has been studied and appreciated as a core mechanism involved in the advancement of metabolic syndrome and aging. Accumulating evidence suggests that atypical microinflammatory insults disturb hypothalamic regulation resulting in metabolic imbalance and aging progression, establishing a common causality for these two pathophysiologic statuses. Studies have causally linked these changes to activation of key proinflammatory pathways, especially NF-κB signaling within the hypothalamus, which leads to hypothalamic neuronal dysregulation, astrogliosis, microgliosis, and loss of adult hypothalamic neural stem/progenitor cells. While hypothalamic microinflammation is a complex, multifaceted process, initial work has been done to reveal how it contributes to the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and aging, and studies inhibiting hypothalamic microinflammation through targeting proinflammatory signaling pathways have shown to be beneficial against these disorders and diseases. In this chapter, we provide a broad overview on hypothalamic microinflammation, focusing on its features, inducers, and shared pathogenic roles in metabolic syndrome and aging.