The functional maturation of M cells is dramatically reduced in the Peyer's patches of aged mice

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: A Kobayashi, University of Edinburgh; D S Donaldson, University of Edinburgh; C Erridge, University of Leicester; T Kanaya, Research Center for Allergy and Immunology; Ifor Williams, Emory University; H Ohno, Research Center for Allergy and Immunology; A Mahajan, University of Edinburgh; N A Mabbott, University of Edinburgh
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-09-01
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Hybrid Model Option B
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2013 Society for Mucosal Immunology
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mi.2012.141
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Mucosal Immunology
• ISSN: 1933-0219
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: 1027
• End Page: 1037
• Grant/Funding Information: This work was supported by project (BB/J014672/1) and Institute Strategic Program Grant (BB/J0004332/1) funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
• Keywords: Immunology; DIFFERENTIATION; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; TISSUE; EXPRESSION; Science & Technology; TOLERANCE; INFECTION; IMMUNE-RESPONSES; INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS; IMMUNOLOGY
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Biology, Veterinary Science

Abstract

The transcytosis of antigens across the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer's patches by microfold cells (M cells) is important for the induction of efficient immune responses to mucosal antigens. The mucosal immune response is compromised by ageing, but effects on M cells were unknown. We show that M-cell density in the FAE of aged mice was dramatically reduced. As a consequence, aged Peyer's patches were significantly deficient in their ability to transcytose particulate lumenal antigen across the FAE. Ageing specifically impaired the expression of Spi-B and the downstream functional maturation of M cells. Ageing also dramatically impaired C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 expression by the FAE. As a consequence, fewer B cells were attracted towards the FAE, potentially reducing their ability to promote M-cell maturation. Our study demonstrates that ageing dramatically impedes the functional maturation of M cells, revealing an important ageing-related defect in the mucosal immune system's ability to sample lumenal antigens.