Alterations in histology of the aging salivary gland and correlation with the glandular inflammatory microenvironment

Ning Li; Yulin Ye; Yicheng Wu; Lei Li; Jiawei Hu; Danyang Luo; Yusi Li; Jie Yang; Yiming Gao; Wangxi Hai; Yinyin Xie; Liting Jiang

iScience (May 2023)

Alterations in histology of the aging salivary gland and correlation with the glandular inflammatory microenvironment

Ning Li,
Yulin Ye,
Yicheng Wu,
Lei Li,
Jiawei Hu,
Danyang Luo,
Yusi Li,
Jie Yang,
Yiming Gao,
Wangxi Hai,
Yinyin Xie,
Liting Jiang

Affiliations

Ning Li: Department of Stomatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Yulin Ye: Department of Stomatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Yicheng Wu: Core Facility of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Lei Li: Department of Pathology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Jiawei Hu: Department of Stomatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Danyang Luo: Department of Stomatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Yusi Li: Department of Stomatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Jie Yang: Core Facility of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Yiming Gao: Department of Stomatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Wangxi Hai: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author
Yinyin Xie: Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author
Liting Jiang: Department of Stomatology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Corresponding author

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 26, no. 5
p. 106571

Abstract

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Summary: Aging-related salivary dysfunction typically causes reduced saliva volumes, which leads to debilitating consequences, even affecting patient quality of life. Understanding the respective clinicopathological characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying salivary gland functioning during aging is vital for therapeutic purposes. Here, we provide a detailed atlas of the salivary gland microenvironment during aging, and we identified several phenotypes characteristic of aging salivary glands, including acini atrophy, increased inflammatory cells, altered immune responses, and accumulation of lysosomes and autophagosomes in aging cells, which may reflect progressive degeneration of salivary gland function. Furthermore, our analyses suggested significant enrichment of metabolic pathways in aging glands. Our results revealed complex cellular cross-talk among aging acinar cells, inflammatory factors, and immune responses. A natural aging animal model was established to verify these findings. This study provides mechanistic insights into age-related clinicopathogenesis, important implications for early diagnosis, and identification of new targets for improving salivary gland dysfunction.

Published in iScience

ISSN: 2589-0042 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.cell.com/iscience/home

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