Characterization of heart macrophages in rhesus macaques as a model to study cardiovascular disease in humans. Issue 6 (9th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Petkov, Daniel I; Liu, David X; Allers, Carolina; Didier, Peter J; Didier, Elizabeth S; Kuroda, Marcelo J
• Is Part Of: Journal of leukocyte biology. Volume 106:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: 1241
• Page End: 1255
• Publication Date: 2019-07-09
• Subjects: cardiac muscle -- immunofluorescence -- microscopy -- skeletal muscle; Leucocytes -- Periodicals; Reticulo-endothelial system -- Periodicals; 571.96
• DOI: 10.1002/JLB.1A0119-017R
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0741-5400

Abstract

Abstract: Rhesus macaques are physiologically similar to humans and, thus, have served as useful animal models of human diseases including cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to characterize the distribution, composition, and phenotype of macrophages in heart tissues of very young (fetus: 0.5 years, n = 6), young adult (2–12 years, n = 12), and older adult (13–24 years, n = 9) rhesus macaques using histopathology and immunofluorescence microscopy. Results demonstrated that macrophages were uniformly distributed throughout the heart in animals of all age groups and were more prevalent than CD3-positve T-cells and CD20-positive B-cells. Macrophages comprised approximately 2% of heart tissue cells in the younger animals and increased to a mean of nearly 4% in the older adults. CD163-positive macrophages predominated over HAM56-positive and CD206-positive macrophages, and were detected at significantly higher percentage in the animals between 13 and 24 years of age, as well as in heart tissues exhibiting severe histopathology or inflammation in animals of all age groups. In vivo dextran labeling and retention indicated that approximately half of the macrophages were longer lived in healthy adult heart tissues and may comprise the tissue-resident population of macrophages. These results provide a basis for continued studies to examine the specific functional roles of macrophage subpopulations in heart tissues during homeostasis and in cardiovascular disease for then developing intervention strategies. Graphical Abstract: Macrophages comprise 2–4% of cells in healthy young and adult rhesus macaque heart tissues, are uniformly distributed, and increase in percentage with age.