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Heterochronic faecal transplantation boosts gut germinal centres in aged mice

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Stebegg, Marisa 
Silva-Cayetano, Alyssa 
Innocentin, Sylvia 
Jenkins, Timothy P 

Abstract

Ageing is a complex multifactorial process associated with a plethora of disorders, which contribute significantly to morbidity worldwide. One of the organs significantly affected by age is the gut. Age-dependent changes of the gut-associated microbiome have been linked to increased frailty and systemic inflammation. This change in microbial composition with age occurs in parallel with a decline in function of the gut immune system, however it is not clear if there is a causal link between the two. Here we report that the defective germinal centre reaction in Peyer’s patches of aged mice can be rescued by faecal transfers from younger adults into aged mice and by immunisations with cholera toxin, without affecting germinal centre reactions in peripheral lymph nodes. This demonstrates that the poor germinal centre reaction in aged animals is not irreversible, and that it is possible to improve this response in older individuals by providing appropriate stimuli.

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Keywords

Aging, Animals, Cholera Toxin, Dysbiosis, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation, Female, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Germinal Center, Immunization, Immunoglobulin A, Mice, Nitrophenols, Peyer's Patches, Phenylacetates

Journal Title

Nature Communications

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2041-1723
2041-1723

Volume Title

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group