Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Aging Affects Human B Cell Responses

  • Published:
Journal of Clinical Immunology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aging represents a complex remodeling in which both innate and adaptive immunities deteriorate. Age-related changes in humoral immunity are responsible for the reduced vaccine responses observed in elderly individuals. Although T cell alterations play a significant role in age-related humoral immune changes, alterations in B cells also occur. We here provide an overview of age-related changes in B cell markers and functions. Our studies have shown that intrinsic changes in B cells with age contribute to reduced antibody responses such as those to the influenza vaccine.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Boraschi D, Del Giudice G, Dutel C, Ivanoff B, Rappuoli R, Grubeck-Loebenstein B. Ageing and immunity: addressing immune senescence to ensure healthy ageing. Vaccine. 2010;28:3627–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Sansoni P, Vescovini R, Fagnoni F, et al. The immune system in extreme longevity. Exp Gerontol. 2008;43:61–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. DelaRosa O, Pawelec G, Peralbo E, et al. Immunological biomarkers of ageing in man: changes in both innate and adaptive immunity are associated with health and longevity. Biogerontology. 2006;7:471–81.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Effros RB. Genetic alterations in the ageing immune system: impact on infection and cancer. Mech Ageing Dev. 2003;124:71–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Franceschi C, Valensin S, Bonafe M, et al. The network and the remodeling theories of aging: historical background and new perspectives. Exp Gerontol. 2000;35:879–96.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Shaw AC, Joshi S, Greenwood H, Panda A, Lord JM. Aging of the innate immune system. Curr Opin Immunol. 2010;22:507–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Solana R, Pawelec G, Tarazona R. Aging and innate immunity. Immunity. 2006;24:491–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Jing Y, Shaheen E, Drake RR, Chen N, Gravenstein S, Deng Y. Aging is associated with a numerical and functional decline in plasmacytoid dendritic cells, whereas myeloid dendritic cells are relatively unaltered in human peripheral blood. Hum Immunol. 2009;70:777–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Panda A, Qian F, Mohanty S, et al. Age-associated decrease in TLR function in primary human dendritic cells predicts influenza vaccine response. J Immunol. 2010;184:2518–27.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sridharan A, Esposo M, Kaushal K, et al. Age-associated impaired plasmacytoid dendritic cell functions lead to decreased CD4 and CD8 T cell immunity. Age (Dordr). 2010 (in press).

  11. Goronzy JJ, Fulbright JW, Crowson CS, Poland GA, O’Fallon WM, Weyand CM. Value of immunological markers in predicting responsiveness to influenza vaccination in elderly individuals. J Virol. 2001;75:12182–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Goronzy JJ, Lee WW, Weyand CM. Aging and T-cell diversity. Exp Gerontol. 2007;42:400–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gupta S, Bi R, Su K, Yel L, Chiplunkar S, Gollapudi S. Characterization of naive, memory and effector CD8+ T cells: effect of age. Exp Gerontol. 2004;39:545–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Chong Y, Ikematsu H, Yamaji K, et al. CD27(+) (memory) B cell decrease and apoptosis-resistant CD27(−) (naive) B cell increase in aged humans: implications for age-related peripheral B cell developmental disturbances. Int Immunol. 2005;17:383–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Frasca D, Diaz A, Romero M, Landin AM, Blomberg BB. Age effects on B cells and humoral immunity in humans. Ageing Res Rev. 2010 (in press).

  16. Frasca D, Landin AM, Lechner SC, et al. Aging down-regulates the transcription factor E2A, activation-induced cytidine deaminase, and Ig class switch in human B cells. J Immunol. 2008;180:5283–90.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Shi Y, Yamazaki T, Okubo Y, Uehara Y, Sugane K, Agematsu K. Regulation of aged humoral immune defense against pneumococcal bacteria by IgM memory B cell. J Immunol. 2005;175:3262–7.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lazuardi L, Jenewein B, Wolf AM, Pfister G, Tzankov A, Grubeck-Loebenstein B. Age-related loss of naive T cells and dysregulation of T-cell/B-cell interactions in human lymph nodes. Immunology. 2005;114:37–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Vallejo AN. CD28 extinction in human T cells: altered functions and the program of T-cell senescence. Immunol Rev. 2005;205:158–69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Grubeck-Loebenstein B, Della Bella S, Iorio AM, Michel JP, Pawelec G, Solana R. Immunosenescence and vaccine failure in the elderly. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2009;21:201–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Pawelec G, Derhovanessian E, Larbi A, Strindhall J, Wikby A. Cytomegalovirus and human immunosenescence. Rev Med Virol. 2009;19:47–56.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Globerson A, Effros RB. Ageing of lymphocytes and lymphocytes in the aged. Immunol Today. 2000;21:515–21.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Pawelec G, Barnett Y, Forsey R, et al. T cells and aging, January 2002 update. Front Biosci. 2002;7:d1056–183.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Larbi A, Franceschi C, Mazzatti D, Solana R, Wikby A, Pawelec G. Aging of the immune system as a prognostic factor for human longevity. Physiology (Bethesda). 2008;23:64–74.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Sadighi Akha AA, Miller RA. Signal transduction in the aging immune system. Curr Opin Immunol. 2005;17:486–91.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Frasca D, Blomberg BB. Effects of aging on B cell function. Curr Opin Immunol. 2009;21:425–30.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Linton PJ, Dorshkind K. Age-related changes in lymphocyte development and function. Nat Immunol. 2004;5:133–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. McElhaney JE, Effros RB. Immunosenescence: what does it mean to health outcomes in older adults? Curr Opin Immunol. 2009;21:418–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Steger MM, Maczek C, Berger P, Grubeck-Loebenstein B. Vaccination against tetanus in the elderly: do recommended vaccination strategies give sufficient protection. Lancet. 1996;348:762.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Ademokun A, Wu YC, Dunn-Walters D. The ageing B cell population: composition and function. Biogerontology. 2010;11:125–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Franceschi C, Monti D, Sansoni P, Cossarizza A. The immunology of exceptional individuals: the lesson of centenarians. Immunol Today. 1995;16:12–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Paganelli R, Quinti I, Fagiolo U, et al. Changes in circulating B cells and immunoglobulin classes and subclasses in a healthy aged population. Clin Exp Immunol. 1992;90:351–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Bergler W, Adam S, Gross HJ, Hormann K, Schwartz-Albiez R. Age-dependent altered proportions in subpopulations of tonsillar lymphocytes. Clin Exp Immunol. 1999;116:9–18.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. McKenna RW, Washington LT, Aquino DB, Picker LJ, Kroft SH. Immunophenotypic analysis of hematogones (B-lymphocyte precursors) in 662 consecutive bone marrow specimens by 4-color flow cytometry. Blood. 2001;98:2498–507.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Rossi MI, Yokota T, Medina KL, et al. B lymphopoiesis is active throughout human life, but there are developmental age-related changes. Blood. 2003;101:576–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Agematsu K, Nagumo H, Yang FC, et al. B cell subpopulations separated by CD27 and crucial collaboration of CD27+ B cells and helper T cells in immunoglobulin production. Eur J Immunol. 1997;27:2073–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Tangye SG, Good KL. Human IgM+CD27+ B cells: memory B cells or “memory” B cells? J Immunol. 2007;179:13–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Klein U, Rajewsky K, Kuppers R. Human immunoglobulin (Ig)M+IgD+ peripheral blood B cells expressing the CD27 cell surface antigen carry somatically mutated variable region genes: CD27 as a general marker for somatically mutated (memory) B cells. J Exp Med. 1998;188:1679–89.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Kruetzmann S, Rosado MM, Weber H, et al. Human immunoglobulin M memory B cells controlling Streptococcus pneumoniae infections are generated in the spleen. J Exp Med. 2003;197:939–45.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Weller S, Braun MC, Tan BK, et al. Human blood IgM “memory” B cells are circulating splenic marginal zone B cells harboring a prediversified immunoglobulin repertoire. Blood. 2004;104:3647–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Colonna-Romano G, Bulati M, Aquino A, et al. B cells in the aged: CD27, CD5, and CD40 expression. Mech Ageing Dev. 2003;124:389–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Macallan DC, Wallace DL, Zhang Y, et al. B-cell kinetics in humans: rapid turnover of peripheral blood memory cells. Blood. 2005;105:3633–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Frasca D, Diaz A, Romero M, et al. Intrinsic defects in B cell response to seasonal influenza vaccination in elderly humans. Vaccine. 2010;28(51):8077–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Gardner EM, Bernstein ED, Dran S, et al. Characterization of antibody responses to annual influenza vaccination over four years in a healthy elderly population. Vaccine. 2001;19:4610–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. LeMaoult J, Szabo P, Weksler ME. Effect of age on humoral immunity, selection of the B-cell repertoire and B-cell development. Immunol Rev. 1997;160:115–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Levy J, Espanol-Boren T, Thomas C, et al. Clinical spectrum of X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome. J Pediatr. 1997;131:47–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Lougaris V, Badolato R, Ferrari S, Plebani A. Hyper immunoglobulin M syndrome due to CD40 deficiency: clinical, molecular, and immunological features. Immunol Rev. 2005;203:48–66.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Durandy A. Hyper-IgM syndromes: a model for studying the regulation of class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation generation. Biochem Soc Trans. 2002;30:815–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Ferrari S, Giliani S, Insalaco A, et al. Mutations of CD40 gene cause an autosomal recessive form of immunodeficiency with hyper IgM. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2001;98:12614–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Imai K, Zhu Y, Revy P, et al. Analysis of class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation in patients affected with autosomal dominant hyper-IgM syndrome type 2. Clin Immunol. 2005;115:277–85.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Imai K, Slupphaug G, Lee WI, et al. Human uracil-DNA glycosylase deficiency associated with profoundly impaired immunoglobulin class-switch recombination. Nat Immunol. 2003;4:1023–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Stavnezer J, Guikema JE, Schrader CE. Mechanism and regulation of class switch recombination. Annu Rev Immunol. 2008;26:261–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Pone EJ, Zan H, Zhang J, Al-Qahtani A, Xu Z, Casali P. Toll-like receptors and B-cell receptors synergize to induce immunoglobulin class-switch DNA recombination: relevance to microbial antibody responses. Crit Rev Immunol. 2010;30:1–29.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Gibson KL, Wu YC, Barnett Y, et al. B-cell diversity decreases in old age and is correlated with poor health status. Aging Cell. 2009;8:18–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Sayegh CE, Quong MW, Agata Y, Murre C. E-proteins directly regulate expression of activation-induced deaminase in mature B cells. Nat Immunol. 2003;4:586–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Dorsett Y, McBride KM, Jankovic M, et al. MicroRNA-155 suppresses activation-induced cytidine deaminase-mediated Myc-Igh translocation. Immunity. 2008;28:630–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Teng G, Hakimpour P, Landgraf P, et al. MicroRNA-155 is a negative regulator of activation-induced cytidine deaminase. Immunity. 2008;28:621–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Chong Y, Ikematsu H, Yamaji K, Nishimura M, Kashiwagi S, Hayashi J. Age-related accumulation of Ig V(H) gene somatic mutations in peripheral B cells from aged humans. Clin Exp Immunol. 2003;133:59–66.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Dunn-Walters DK, Boursier L, Spencer J. Hypermutation, diversity and dissemination of human intestinal lamina propria plasma cells. Eur J Immunol. 1997;27:2959–64.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Kolar GR, Mehta D, Wilson PC, Capra JD. Diversity of the Ig repertoire is maintained with age in spite of reduced germinal centre cells in human tonsil lymphoid tissue. Scand J Immunol. 2006;64:314–24.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Banerjee M, Mehr R, Belelovsky A, Spencer J, Dunn-Walters DK. Age- and tissue-specific differences in human germinal center B cell selection revealed by analysis of IgVH gene hypermutation and lineage trees. Eur J Immunol. 2002;32:1947–57.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Bernasconi NL, Traggiai E, Lanzavecchia A. Maintenance of serological memory by polyclonal activation of human memory B cells. Science. 2002;298:2199–202.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. de Bruijn IA, Remarque EJ, Jol-van der Zijde CM, van Tol MJ, Westendorp RG, Knook DL. Quality and quantity of the humoral immune response in healthy elderly and young subjects after annually repeated influenza vaccination. J Infect Dis. 1999;179:31–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Goodwin K, Viboud C, Simonsen L. Antibody response to influenza vaccination in the elderly: a quantitative review. Vaccine. 2006;24:1159–69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. McElhaney JE. Influenza vaccination in the elderly: seeking new correlates of protection and improved vaccines. Aging Health. 2008;4:603–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. McLaren C, Verbonitz MW, Daniel S, Grubbs GE, Ennis FA. Effect of priming infection on serologic response to whole and subunit influenza virus vaccines in animals. J Infect Dis. 1977;136(Suppl):S706–711.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. McMurry JA, Johansson BE, De Groot AS. A call to cellular & humoral arms: enlisting cognate T cell help to develop broad-spectrum vaccines against influenza A. Hum Vaccin. 2008;4:148–57.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Ahmed AE, Nicholson KG, Nguyen-Van-Tam JS. Reduction in mortality associated with influenza vaccine during 1989–90 epidemic. Lancet. 1995;346:591–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Keitel WA, Cate TR, Couch RB. Efficacy of sequential annual vaccination with inactivated influenza virus vaccine. Am J Epidemiol. 1988;127:353–64.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Thompson WW, Shay DK, Weintraub E, et al. Influenza-associated hospitalizations in the United States. JAMA. 2004;292:1333–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Murasko DM, Bernstein ED, Gardner EM, et al. Role of humoral and cell-mediated immunity in protection from influenza disease after immunization of healthy elderly. Exp Gerontol. 2002;37:427–39.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Saurwein-Teissl M, Lung TL, Marx F, et al. Lack of antibody production following immunization in old age: association with CD8(+)CD28(−) T cell clonal expansions and an imbalance in the production of Th1 and Th2 cytokines. J Immunol. 2002;168:5893–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Olsson J, Wikby A, Johansson B, Lofgren S, Nilsson BO, Ferguson FG. Age-related change in peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subpopulations and cytomegalovirus infection in the very old: the Swedish longitudinal OCTO immune study. Mech Ageing Dev. 2000;121:187–201.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Fagiolo U, Amadori A, Cozzi E, et al. Humoral and cellular immune response to influenza virus vaccination in aged humans. Aging (Milano). 1993;5:451–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Schmucker DL, Owen RL, Outenreath R, Thoreux K. Basis for the age-related decline in intestinal mucosal immunity. Clin Dev Immunol. 2003;10:167–72.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Schmucker DL, Thoreux K, Owen RL. Aging impairs intestinal immunity. Mech Ageing Dev. 2001;122:1397–411.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Fujihashi K, Koga T, McGhee JR. Mucosal vaccination and immune responses in the elderly. Vaccine. 2000;18:1675–80.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Fujihashi K, Kiyono H. Mucosal immunosenescence: new developments and vaccines to control infectious diseases. Trends Immunol. 2009;30:334–43.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Asahi-Ozaki Y, Yoshikawa T, Iwakura Y, et al. Secretory IgA antibodies provide cross-protection against infection with different strains of influenza B virus. J Med Virol. 2004;74:328–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Biagi E, Nylund L, Candela M, et al. Through ageing, and beyond: gut microbiota and inflammatory status in seniors and centenarians. PLoS ONE. 2010;5:e10667.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Penn ND, Purkins L, Kelleher J, Heatley RV, Mascie-Taylor BH. Ageing and duodenal mucosal immunity. Age Ageing. 1991;20:33–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Arranz E, O’Mahony S, Barton JR, Ferguson A. Immunosenescence and mucosal immunity: significant effects of old age on secretory IgA concentrations and intraepithelial lymphocyte counts. Gut. 1992;33:882–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is supported by NIH AG-17618 and AG-28586 (BBB).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniela Frasca.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Frasca, D., Blomberg, B.B. Aging Affects Human B Cell Responses. J Clin Immunol 31, 430–435 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-010-9501-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-010-9501-7

Keywords

Navigation