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Research Paper|Volume 6, Issue 2|pp 131—139

Reduced bioenergetics and toll-like receptor 1 function in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in aging

Feng Qian1,2, Xiuyang Guo1,3, Xiaomei Wang1, Xiaoling Yuan1, Shu Chen1, Stephen E. Malawista1, Linda K. Bockenstedt1, Heather G. Allore1, Ruth R. Montgomery1
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
  • 2State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
  • 3Roger Williams Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Providence, RI 02908, USA
Received: January 20, 2013Accepted: February 28, 2014Published: March 3, 2014
https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.100642

Copyright: © 2014 Qian et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Abstract

Aging is associated with a progressive decline in immune function (immunosenescence) resulting in an increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial infections. Here we show reduced expression of Toll-like receptor 1 (TLR1) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and an underlying age-dependent deficiency in PMN bioenergetics. In older (>65 years) adults, stimulation through TLR1 led to lower activation of integrins (CD11b and CD18), lower production of the chemokine IL-8, and lower levels of the phosphorylated signaling intermediate p38 MAP kinase than in PMN from younger donors (21-30 years). In addition, loss of CD62L, a marker of PMN activation, was reduced in PMN of older adults stimulated through multiple pathways. Rescue of PMN from apoptosis by stimulation with TLR1 was reduced in PMN from older adults. In seeking an explanation for effects of aging across multiple pathways, we examined PMN energy utilization and found that glucose uptake after stimulation through TLR1 was dramatically lower in PMN of older adults. Our results demonstrate a reduction in TLR1 expression and TLR1-mediated responses in PMN with aging, and reduced efficiency of bioenergetics in PMN. These changes likely contribute to reduced PMN efficiency in aging through multiple aspects of PMN function and suggest potential therapeutic opportunities.