Summary

Extensive, large-scale single-cell profiling of healthy human blood at different ages is one of the critical pending tasks required to establish a framework for the systematic understanding of human aging. Here, using single-cell RNA/T cell receptor (TCR)/BCR-seq with protein feature barcoding, we profiled 317 samples from 166 healthy individuals aged 25-85 years old. From this, we generated a dataset from ∼2 million cells that described 55 subpopulations of blood immune cells. Twelve subpopulations changed with age, including the accumulation of GZMK+CD8+ T cells and HLA-DR+CD4+ T cells. In contrast to other T cell memory subsets, transcriptionally distinct NKG2C+GZMB-CD8+ T cells counterintuitively decreased with age. Furthermore, we found a concerted age-associated increase in type 2/interleukin (IL)4-expressing memory subpopulations across CD4+ and CD8+ T cell compartments (CCR4+CD8+ Tcm and Th2 CD4+ Tmem), suggesting a systematic functional shift in immune homeostasis with age. Our work provides novel insights into healthy human aging and a comprehensive annotated resource.

Overall design

Using single-cell RNA/TCR/BCR-seq, researchers profiled 2 million cells from 166 healthy individuals (ages 25-85), identifying 55 blood immune subpopulations, with 12 changing with age. Key findings include the accumulation of GZMK+CD8+ and HLA-DR+CD4+ T cells, and an age-associated shift towards IL-4-expressing memory T cell subpopulations.

Contributors

Marina Terekhova†, Amanda Swain†, Pavla Bohacova†, Maxim N. Artyomov✉️

Contact

martyomov@wustl.edu (Maxim N. Artyomov)