Metabolic Alterations in Aging Macrophages: Ingredients for Inflammaging?

Adriaan A. Van Beek, Jan Van den Bossche, Pier G. Mastroberardino, Menno P.J. De Winther, Pieter J.M. Leenen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

141 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aging is a complex process with an impact on essentially all organs. Declined cellular repair causes increased damage at genomic and proteomic levels upon aging. This can lead to systemic changes in metabolism and pro-inflammatory cytokine production, resulting in low-grade inflammation, or ‘inflammaging’. Tissue macrophages, gatekeepers of parenchymal homeostasis and integrity, are prime inflammatory cytokine producers, as well as initiators and regulators of inflammation. In this opinion piece, we summarize intrinsic alterations in macrophage phenotype and function with age. We propose that alternatively activated macrophages (M2-like), which are yet pro-inflammatory, can accumulate in tissues and promote inflammaging. Age-related increases in endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction might be cell-intrinsic forces driving this unusual phenotype.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)113-127
JournalTrends in Immunology
Volume40
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2019

Keywords

  • aging
  • cell metabolism
  • epigenetics
  • inflammation
  • macrophages

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