RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Microbial Stimulation Reverses the Age-Related Decline in M Cells in Aged Mice
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2020.02.17.943514
DO 10.1101/2020.02.17.943514
A1 Donaldson, David S.
A1 Pollock, Jolinda
A1 Vohra, Prerna
A1 Stevens, Mark P.
A1 Mabbott, Neil A.
YR 2020
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2020/02/18/2020.02.17.943514.abstract
AB Ageing has a profound effect on the immune system, termed immunosenescence, resulting in increased incidence and severity of infections and decreased efficacy of vaccinations. We previously showed that immunosurveillance in the intestine, achieved primarily through antigen sampling M cells in the follicle associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer’s patches, was compromised during ageing due to a decline in M cell functional maturation. The intestinal microbiota also changes significantly with age, but whether this affects M cell maturation was not known. We show that housing of aged mice on used bedding from young mice, or treatment with bacterial flagellin, were each sufficient to enhance the functional maturation of M cells in Peyer’s patches. An understanding of the mechanisms underlying the influence of the intestinal microbiota on M cells has the potential to lead to new methods to enhance the efficacy of oral vaccination in aged individuals.