Cellular senescence is a double‐edged sword in regulating aged immune responses to influenza

• Published in: Aging cell Vol. 23; no. 7; pp. e14162 - n/a
• Main Authors: Torrance, Blake L., Cadar, Andreia N., Panier, Hunter A., Martin, Dominique E., Lorenzo, Erica C., Jellison, Evan R., Bartley, Jenna M., Haynes, Laura
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.07.2024
• Subjects: Age; Aging; Blood; CD8 antigen; Cell cycle; Chronic illnesses; Chronic infection; Coronaviruses; Flow cytometry; Ganciclovir; Immune clearance; Immune system; Immunological memory; Infections; Inflammation; Influenza; Laboratory animals; Lungs; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; memory; Memory cells; Older people; p16; Pathogens; Senescence; Swine flu; T cells; Viral infections; United States > US; Puerto Rico; influenza; senescence; memory; aging; p16; T cells
• ISSN: 1474-9718; 1474-9726; 1474-9726
• DOI: 10.1111/acel.14162

Clearance of senescent cells has demonstrated therapeutic potential in the context of chronic age‐related diseases. Little is known, however, how clearing senescent cells affects the ability to respond to an acute infection and form quality immunological memory. We aimed to probe the effects of clearing senescent cells in aged mice on the immune response to influenza (flu) infection. We utilized a p16 trimodality reporter mouse model (p16‐3MR) to allow for identification and selective clearance of p16‐expressing cells upon administration of ganciclovir (GCV). While p16‐expressing cells may exacerbate dysfunctional responses to a primary infection, our data suggest they may play a role in fostering memory cell generation. We demonstrate that although clearance of p16‐expressing cells enhanced viral clearance, this also severely limited antibody production in the lungs of flu‐infected aged mice. 30 days later, there were fewer flu‐specific CD8 memory T cells and lower levels of flu‐specific antibodies in the lungs of GCV‐treated mice. Furthermore, GCV‐treated mice were unable to mount an optimal memory response and demonstrated increased viral load following heterosubtypic challenge. These results suggest that targeting senescent cells may potentiate primary responses while limiting the ability to form durable and protective immune memory with age. Deletion of p16‐expressing cells in a mouse model of flu infection improved viral clearance during a primary infection. However, it also decreased the generation of CD8 T‐cell memory and the levels of cross protective antibodies. This led to reduced protection following a subsequent infection. Targeting cellular senescence may potentiate primary immune responses but it comes at a cost to the generation of durable and protective immune memory.