Diminished ability of thymus to produce naive T cells with progressive aging remains a fundamental and puzzling phenomenon for immunology and to-date, an intractable clinical condition that contributes to immune dysfunction in elderly. With advancing age, the thymus undergoes striking fibrotic and fatty changes that culminate in its transformation into adipose tissue. The lineage of ectopic adipocytes and the mechanism of development of thymic adipocytes during aging are not well understood. Using lineage-tracing, our research team has shown that FoxN1+ thymic epithelial cells (TECs), that are necessary for T cell development, can transition and give rise to thymic adipogenic precursors. Consistent with this new paradigm, our lates preliminary data provide further in vivo evidence that proadipogenic cells in aging thymus can originate from epithelial and endothelial lineages via a secondary mesenchymal precursor. Based on our novel findings, the central hypothesis of this proposal is that the transition of TECs and endothelial cells contribute towards the lineage of thymic adipocytes and leads to age-related thymic involution. The corollary is that blocking the fibrogenesis and pro- adipogenic signaling in TEC and endothelial lineage cells will protect against aging of thymus. Experiments in Aim 1 will test the hypothesis 1 that with advancing age transition of FoxN1+ cells into adipogenic precursors via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process gives rise to ectopic thymic adipocytes and compromises the thymic stromal microenvironment.
Aim 2 will test the hypothesis 2 that that endothelial-lineage cells serve as adipogenic progenitors and will reveal that blocking he ectopic adipocyte development in thymic perivascular space protect against thymic aging.
The Aim 3 will test the hypothesis 3 that age-related fibrogenesis in thymus causes reduction in thymopoiesis and reveal that mechanisms that commit secondary mesenchymal cells into adipocytes participate in thymic dysfunction. The long-term goal of this research project is to understand the mechanisms that cause thymic adiposity and to develop new approaches to prevent or reverse the process of age-related thymic involution.

Public Health Relevance

Thymus produces infection and cancer fighting immune cells called as T-lymphocytes. However, with progressive aging, thymus is replaced with fat cells and its ability to produce T-lymphocytes is dramatically diminished. This research project is designed to understand the origin of fat cells in aging thymus and to determine the causes and consequences of thymic adiposity during aging. The aim of this project is to unravel underlying process of thymic dysfunction that impacts immune function in aging with a long-term goal of developing novel therapeutic approaches to strengthen immunity and enhance health-span of elderly.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI105097-03
Application #
9171367
Study Section
Cellular and Molecular Immunology - B Study Section (CMIB)
Program Officer
Prabhudas, Mercy R
Project Start
2014-11-01
Project End
2018-10-31
Budget Start
2016-11-01
Budget End
2017-10-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Yale University
Department
Veterinary Sciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
043207562
City
New Haven
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06520
Ravussin, Anthony; Youm, Yun-Hee; Sander, Jil et al. (2018) Loss of Nucleobindin-2 Causes Insulin Resistance in Obesity without Impacting Satiety or Adiposity. Cell Rep 24:1085-1092.e6
Ferrandino, Giuseppe; Kaspari, Rachel R; Spadaro, Olga et al. (2017) Pathogenesis of hypothyroidism-induced NAFLD is driven by intra- and extrahepatic mechanisms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114:E9172-E9180
Camell, Christina D; Sander, Jil; Spadaro, Olga et al. (2017) Inflammasome-driven catecholamine catabolism in macrophages blunts lipolysis during ageing. Nature 550:119-123
Goldberg, Emily L; Asher, Jennifer L; Molony, Ryan D et al. (2017) ?-Hydroxybutyrate Deactivates Neutrophil NLRP3 Inflammasome to Relieve Gout Flares. Cell Rep 18:2077-2087
Goldberg, Emily L; Dixit, Vishwa Deep (2017) Carnitine acetyltransferase (CRAT) expression in macrophages is dispensable for nutrient stress sensing and inflammation. Mol Metab 6:219-225
Spadaro, Olga; Camell, Christina D; Bosurgi, Lidia et al. (2017) IGF1 Shapes Macrophage Activation in Response to Immunometabolic Challenge. Cell Rep 19:225-234
Spadaro, Olga; Goldberg, Emily L; Camell, Christina D et al. (2016) Growth Hormone Receptor Deficiency Protects against Age-Related NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation and Immune Senescence. Cell Rep 14:1571-1580
Youm, Yun-Hee; Horvath, Tamas L; Mangelsdorf, David J et al. (2016) Prolongevity hormone FGF21 protects against immune senescence by delaying age-related thymic involution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113:1026-31
Camell, Christina D; Nguyen, Kim Y; Jurczak, Michael J et al. (2015) Macrophage-specific de Novo Synthesis of Ceramide Is Dispensable for Inflammasome-driven Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Obesity. J Biol Chem 290:29402-13
Youm, Yun-Hee; Nguyen, Kim Y; Grant, Ryan W et al. (2015) The ketone metabolite ?-hydroxybutyrate blocks NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory disease. Nat Med 21:263-9

Showing the most recent 10 out of 16 publications