Shaping Variation in the Human Immune System. Issue 10 (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liston, Adrian; Carr, Edward J.; Linterman, Michelle A.
• Is Part Of: Trends in immunology. Volume 37:Issue 10(2016)
• Page Start: 637
• Page End: 646
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: Immunology -- Periodicals; 571.96
• DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2016.08.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-4906

Abstract

Abstract : Immune responses demonstrate a high level of intra-species variation, compensating for the specialization capacity of pathogens. The recent advent of in-depth immune phenotyping projects in large-scale cohorts has allowed a first look into the factors that shape the inter-individual diversity of the human immune system. Genetic approaches have identified genetic diversity as drivers of 20⿿40% of the variation between the immune systems of individuals. The remaining 60⿿80% is shaped by intrinsic factors, with age being the predominant factor, as well as by environmental influences, where cohabitation and chronic viral infections were identified as key mediators. We review and integrate the recent in-depth large-scale studies on human immune diversity and its potential impact on health. Video Abstract: Trends: Diversity within the human immune system is stable over the duration of months to years with an elastic response to immunological challenge, allowing the study of immune drivers. Genetic variation accounts for 20⿿40% of immune variation, with enrichment of gene variants associated with autoimmunity, inflammatory disease, and susceptibility to infections among the identified genetic drivers. Among the identified intrinsic drivers of immune variation, age is the most potent, driving a shift from a precursor-biased immune status to an inflammation-biased immune status. A strong environmental effect on immune variation is observed, as revealed by cohabitation studies, with the strongest individual driver identified to date being chronic viral infection.