Immunosenescence Profile Is Associated With Increased Susceptibility to Severe <scp>COVID</scp> ‐19
In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the immunosenescence profile could account for the disproportional susceptibility of the elderly to severe forms of COVID-19. The immunological profiles of volunteers residing in endemic and non-endemic areas for chronic infectious diseases were analyzed at the early stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection. A unique signature of inflammatory plasma mediators was identified in COVID-19 volunteers when compared to individuals with other flu-like syndromes. COVID-19 severity correlated with high levels of inflammatory mediators; among them, CXCL9, a serum marker of aging. Patients who progressed to hospitalization displayed high frequencies of CD8<sup>+</sup> and CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells expressing exhaustion and senescence markers and showed reduced and more mature B cell repertoires, which are typical of senescence. They also had an acceleration of epigenetic age measured by DNA methylation. Therefore, severe COVID-19 correlated with phenotypic, functional, and epigenetic features of accelerated immunosenescence at the onset of infection.
Authors
- Mariana de Almeida Oliveira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7508-6679)
- Jofer Andree Zamame Ramirez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1196-6893)
- Lucas Haniel de Araújo Ventura (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3579-6833)
- Murilo Soares Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5688-4824)
- Tatiani Uceli Maioli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7538-3208)
- Giovanna Caliman Camatta (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8278-773X)
- Olindo Assis Martins‐Filho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5494-4889)
- Andréa Teixeira‐Carvalho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2814-5183)
- Hugo Itaru Sato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5180-9983)
- Marcos Felipe Andrade de Oliveira
- Luciana W. Zuccherato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0860-6571)
- Denise Morais da Fonseca (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8310-0186)
- Ana Paula Rocha Veiga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8816-6878)
- Leandro Nascimento (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3832-7570)
- C. Loureiro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7856-2124)
- Verônica Coelho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0989-2581)
- Rafael Calvão Barbuto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6488-734X)
- Felipe Caixeta
- Najara Ataíde
- Santuza Maria Ribeiro Teixeira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2588-2842)
- Liza Felicori (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3240-9658)
- Cecília Horta Ramalho Pinto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0499-620X)
- Maria Eduarda Ferreira Passos
- Ana Neves (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3885-2738)
- Ana Maria Caetano Faria (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0604-8510)
- Elaine Speziali (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9755-9860)
- Lícia Torres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2048-0318)
- Gabriela Silveira‐Nunes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0557-2177)
- Vinícius Dantas Martins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9994-5212)
- João Gervásio
- Marina Caçador Ayupe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6070-7871)
- Rafael Souza (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5948-2185)
- Roberto Avritchir
- Gabriela Prandi Caetano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3321-0861)
- Filomeno Fortes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1483-7835)
- Unaí Tupinambás (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3681-4124)
- Henrique Cerqueira Guimarães (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6680-7099)
- Monique Macedo Coelho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5103-2227)
- Pauline Martins Leite (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8454-1872)
- Sarah Rangon
Institutions
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (BR)
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR)
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo (BR)
- Instituto de Infectologia Emílio Ribas (BR)
- Hospital do Coração (BR)
- Hospital Risoleta Tolentino Neves (BR)
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Aging Cell
- Published
- 2025-05-19
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.70077
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.40
Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
- Merck Sharp and Dohme