title: The cellular composition of the human immune system is shaped by age and cohabitation.
abstract: Detailed population-level description of the human immune system has recently become achievable. We used a 'systems-level' approach to establish a resource of cellular immune profiles of 670 healthy individuals. We report a high level of interindividual variation, with low longitudinal variation, at the level of cellular subset composition of the immune system. Despite the profound effects of antigen exposure on individual antigen-specific clones, the cellular subset structure proved highly elastic, with transient vaccination-induced changes followed by a return to the individual's unique baseline. Notably, the largest influence on immunological variation identified was cohabitation, with 50% less immunological variation between individuals who share an environment (as parents) than between people in the wider population. These results identify local environmental conditions as a key factor in shaping the human immune system.
authors.affiliation: Lymphocyte Signaling and Development ISP, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Translational Immunology Laboratory, VIB, Leuven 3000, Belgium.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.affiliation: Translational Immunology Laboratory, VIB, Leuven 3000, Belgium.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Josselyn E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Garcia-Perez
authors.affiliation: Translational Immunology Laboratory, VIB, Leuven 3000, Belgium.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.|Department of Neurosciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lagou
authors.affiliation: Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK.
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meyts
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goris
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boeckxstaens
authors.affiliation: Lymphocyte Signaling and Development ISP, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Linterman
authors.affiliation: Translational Immunology Laboratory, VIB, Leuven 3000, Belgium.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004777:Environment; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology*; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013597:Systems Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D007252:Influenza Vaccines