Age-related M1/M2 phenotype changes in circulating monocytes from healthy/unhealthy individuals

• Published in: Aging (Albany, NY.) Vol. 10; no. 6; pp. 1268 - 1280
• Main Authors: Costantini, Andrea, Viola, Nadia, Berretta, Antonella, Galeazzi, Roberta, Matacchione, Giulia, Sabbatinelli, Jacopo, Storci, Gianluca, De Matteis, Serena, Butini, Luca, Rippo, Maria Rita, Procopio, Antonio Domenico, Caraceni, Daniele, Antonicelli, Roberto, Olivieri, Fabiola, Bonafè, Massimiliano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Impact Journals 08.06.2018
• Subjects: Research Paper; M1/M2 monocytes; NK/NK-T cells; aging; acute myocardial infarction
• ISSN: 1945-4589
• DOI: 10.18632/aging.101465

Macrophage polarization is a candidate biomarker of disease-related inflammatory status, but its modulation during aging has not been investigated. To do this, the M1/M2 profile was assessed by CD80/CD163 gating in classical (CD14 CD16 ), intermediate (CD14 CD16 ), and non-classical (CD14 CD16 ) monocytes from 31 healthy subjects (CTRs) of different ages. Cytofluorimetric analysis showed a significantly different CD80/CD163 distribution in the three subsets, as more than 80% of classical and intermediate monocytes were CD80 CD163 , whereas most non-classical monocytes were CD80 CD163 and CD163 . Non-classical CD163 monocytes were significantly higher whereas classical CD163 and CD80 CD163 monocytes significantly lower in older than younger CTRs (cut-off, 65 years), suggesting different age-related trends for M2 subsets. To establish whether an M1/M2 imbalance could be associated with disease, 21 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were compared with older CTRs. The AMI patients showed a significantly decreased proportion of CD163 CD80 and an increased proportion of CD163 and CD163 CD80 cells among classical monocytes, opposite trends to those observed in healthy aging. Moreover, a significantly greater proportion of intermediate and non-classical CD80 monocytes suggested a shift to a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Overall, CD163/CD80 cytofluorimetric characterization of circulating monocytes provides additional information about their polarization and could be an innovative tool to monitor aging.