| Title: |
Accelarated immune ageing is associated with COVID-19 disease severity |
| Authors: |
Lord, JM; Veenith, T; Sullivan, J; Sharma-Oates, A; Richter, AG; Greening, NJ; McAuley, HJC; Evans, RA; Moss, P; Moore, SC; Turtle, L; Gautam, N; Gilani, A; Bajaj, M; Wain, LV; Brightling, C; Raman, B; Marks, M; Singapuri, A; Elneima, O; Openshaw, PJM; Duggal, NA; PHOSP-COVID Study collaborative group; ISARIC4C investigators |
| Source: |
Immunity & Ageing , 21 , Article 6. (2024) |
| Publisher Information: |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
| Publication Year: |
2024 |
| Collection: |
University College London: UCL Discovery |
| Description: |
Background: The striking increase in COVID-19 severity in older adults provides a clear example of immunesenescence, the age-related remodelling of the immune system. To better characterise the association between convalescent immunesenescence and acute disease severity, we determined the immune phenotype of COVID-19 survivors and non-infected controls. / Results: We performed detailed immune phenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from 103 COVID-19 survivors 3–5 months post recovery who were classified as having had severe (n = 56; age 53.12 ± 11.30 years), moderate (n = 32; age 52.28 ± 11.43 years) or mild (n = 15; age 49.67 ± 7.30 years) disease and compared with age and sex-matched healthy adults (n = 59; age 50.49 ± 10.68 years). We assessed a broad range of immune cell phenotypes to generate a composite score, IMM-AGE, to determine the degree of immune senescence. We found increased immunesenescence features in severe COVID-19 survivors compared to controls including: a reduced frequency and number of naïve CD4 and CD8 T cells (p < 0.0001); increased frequency of EMRA CD4 (p < 0.003) and CD8 T cells (p < 0.001); a higher frequency (p < 0.0001) and absolute numbers (p < 0.001) of CD28−ve CD57+ve senescent CD4 and CD8 T cells; higher frequency (p < 0.003) and absolute numbers (p < 0.02) of PD-1 expressing exhausted CD8 T cells; a two-fold increase in Th17 polarisation (p < 0.0001); higher frequency of memory B cells (p < 0.001) and increased frequency (p < 0.0001) and numbers (p < 0.001) of CD57+ve senescent NK cells. As a result, the IMM-AGE score was significantly higher in severe COVID-19 survivors than in controls (p < 0.001). Few differences were seen for those with moderate disease and none for mild disease. Regression analysis revealed the only pre-existing variable influencing the IMM-AGE score was South Asian ethnicity (β = 0.174, p = 0.043), with a major influence being disease severity (β = 0.188, p = 0.01). / Conclusions: Our analyses reveal ... |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
text |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10186052/ |
| Availability: |
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10186052/1/Banerjee_Accelarated%20immune%20ageing%20is%20associated%20with%20COVID-19%20disease%20severity_VoR.pdf; https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10186052/ |
| Rights: |
open |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.13E3E57A |
| Database: |
BASE |