FBS Colloquia No.332Laboratory of Cancer Biology

Bacterial induction of B cell senescence promotes age-related changes in the gut microbiota

The elucidation of the mechanisms of ageing and the identification of methods to control it have long been anticipated. Recently, two factors associated with ageing—the accumulation of senescent cells and the change in the composition of gut microbiota—have been shown to play key roles in ageing. However, little is known about how these phenomena occur and are related during ageing. Here we show that the persistent presence of commensal bacteria gradually induces cellular senescence in gut germinal centre B cells. Importantly, this reduces both the production and diversity of immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies that target gut bacteria, thereby changing the composition of gut microbiota in aged mice. These results have revealed the existence of IgA-mediated crosstalk between the gut microbiota and cellular senescence and thus extend our understanding of the mechanism of gut microbiota changes with age, opening up possibilities for their control.