%A Rodriguez-Zhurbenko,Nely %A Quach,Tam D. %A Hopkins,Thomas J. %A Rothstein,Thomas L. %A Hernandez,Ana M. %D 2019 %J Frontiers in Immunology %C %F %G English %K Human B-1 cells,Aging,IgM,Antibody secretion,repertoire %Q %R 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00483 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2019-March-19 %9 Original Research %# %! Age affects human B-1 cells %* %< %T Human B-1 Cells and B-1 Cell Antibodies Change With Advancing Age %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2019.00483 %V 10 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 1664-3224 %X Age-related deficits in the immune system have been associated with an increased incidence of infections, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Human B cell populations change quantitatively and qualitatively in the elderly. However, the function of human B-1 cells, which play critical anti-microbial and housekeeping roles, have not been studied in the older age population. In the present work, we analyzed how the frequency, function and repertoire of human peripheral blood B-1 cells (CD19+CD20+CD27+CD38low/intCD43+) change with age. Our results show that not only the percentage of B-1 cells but also their ability to spontaneously secrete IgM decreased with age. Further, expression levels of the transcription factors XBP-1 and Blimp-1 were significantly lower, while PAX-5, characteristic of non-secreting B cells, was significantly higher, in healthy donors over 65 years (old) as compared to healthy donors between 20 and 45 years (young). To further characterize the B-1 cell population in older individuals, we performed single cell sequencing analysis of IgM heavy chains from healthy young and old donors. We found reduced repertoire diversity of IgM antibodies in B-1 cells from older donors as well as differences in usage of certain VH and DH specific genes, as compared to younger. Overall, our results show impairment of the human B-1 cell population with advancing age, which might impact the quality of life and onset of disease within the elderly population.