Project description:Aging is associated with declining immunity and inflammation as well as alterations in the gut microbiome with a decrease of beneficial microbes and increase in pathogenic ones. The aim of this study was to investigate aging associated gut microbiome in relation to immunologic and metabolic profile in a non-human primate (NHP) model. 12 old (age>18 years) and 4 young (age 3-6 years) Rhesus macaques were included in this study. Immune cell subsets were characterized in PBMC by flow cytometry and plasma cytokines levels were determined by bead based multiplex cytokine analysis. Stool samples were collected by ileal loop and investigated for microbiome analysis by shotgun metagenomics. Serum, gut microbial lysate and microbe-free fecal extract were subjected to metabolomic analysis by mass-spectrometry. Our results showed that the old animals exhibited higher inflammatory biomarkers in plasma and lower CD4 T cells with altered distribution of naïve and memory T cell maturation subsets. The gut microbiome in old animals had higher abundance of Archaeal and Proteobacterial species and lower Firmicutes than the young. Significant enrichment of metabolites that contribute to inflammatory and cytotoxic pathways was observed in serum and feces of old animals compared to the young. We conclude that aging NHP undergo immunosenescence and age associated alterations in the gut microbiome that has a distinct metabolic profile.
Project description:To explore the influence of choline intake and pregnancy status on gene expression, we employed whole genome microarray expression profiling to identify genes that were differentially expressed between two choline intake groups and between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Healthy third trimester (gestational week 26-29) pregnant women and non-pregnant women were randomized to a 12-week choline controlled feeding study. The participants consumed either 480 (n=6 pregnant and n=5 non-pregnant) or 930 (n=6 pregnant and n=5 non-pregnant) mg choline/d. Fasting peripheral blood leukocyte samples were collected at week 0 and week 12 to extract RNA and perform the arrays. Healthy third trimester (gestational week 26-29) pregnant women and non-pregnant women were randomized to a 12-week choline controlled feeding study. The participants consumed either 480 (n=6 pregnant and n=5 non-pregnant) or 930 (n=6 pregnant and n=5 non-pregnant) mg choline/d for 12 weeks. Fasting (10-h) peripheral blood leukocyte gene expression were measured at week 0 and week 12.
Project description:To explore the influence of choline intake and pregnancy status on gene expression, we employed whole genome microarray expression profiling to identify genes that were differentially expressed between two choline intake groups and between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Healthy third trimester (gestational week 26-29) pregnant women and non-pregnant women were randomized to a 12-week choline controlled feeding study. The participants consumed either 480 (n=6 pregnant and n=5 non-pregnant) or 930 (n=6 pregnant and n=5 non-pregnant) mg choline/d. Fasting peripheral blood leukocyte samples were collected at week 0 and week 12 to extract RNA and perform the arrays.