IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Infection history and cellular origin shape long-term alveolar macrophage reprogramming

Infection history and cellular origin shape long-term alveolar macrophage reprogramming

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Video Summary

The speaker studied how prior viral infection and cell origin shape long-term alveolar macrophage behavior in the lung. Using four viruses—two DNA viruses and two RNA viruses—and fate-mapping plus single-cell RNA-seq and ATAC-seq, they tracked monocyte-derived versus embryonic alveolar macrophages over time. They found that monocyte-derived macrophages persist long after infection, though less so after influenza. These cells are more plastic than embryonic macrophages and acquire infection-specific gene and chromatin programs. Shared monocyte-derived signatures included immune activation, recruitment, repair/fibrosis markers, and reduced alveolar macrophage identity genes. Virus-specific patterns were also seen: influenza favored injury-repair and metabolic programs, while mouse herpesvirus 4 and mouse adenovirus induced stronger interferon and antigen-presentation profiles. In herpesvirus 4, these changes had functional consequences, enhancing MHC II-dependent activation and proliferation of OT-II CD4 T cells. Overall, infection history drives durable, virus-specific reprogramming of alveolar macrophages.

Meta Tag

Date April 17, 2026 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM

Room 104AB

Session Cytokines and Inflammation in Antiviral Immunity

Speaker Lucia Rodriguez

Track Viral Immunology (VIR)

Year 2026

Keywords

alveolar macrophages

viral infection

monocyte-derived macrophages

single-cell RNA-seq

chromatin reprogramming

April 17, 2026 8:00 AM - 8:15 AM

104AB

Cytokines and Inflammation in Antiviral Immunity

Lucia Rodriguez

Viral Immunology (VIR)

2026