IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Sterile inflammation is a key feature of intrinsic tissue ageing

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Akemi Noda from Radboud University described her group’s aging research using a broad, unbiased approach. To separate intrinsic aging from environmental effects, her team compared germ-free mice raised in sterile conditions with normal SPF mice, across young and old ages, using single-cell RNA and ATAC sequencing in multiple tissues. They found that some aging traits are intrinsic, appearing even without microbes. A major one was “sterile inflammation,” including widespread upregulation of MHC class I/II genes and inflammatory signatures. They also observed a strong expansion of age-associated B cells (ABCs), which have innate-like features and were increased in both germ-free and SPF mice. This was linked to rising autoantibodies and possible accumulation of self-antigens from tissue damage.<br /><br />She then discussed chromatin changes with aging. Aging was associated with altered transcription factor motifs and possible loss of heterochromatin, which may allow transposable elements to become active. These elements were especially elevated in SPF mice and in certain cell types, including inflammatory hepatocytes and aged brain cells, potentially contributing to inflammation. Overall, her talk highlighted intrinsic aging, immune shifts toward innate-like states, and chromatin dysregulation as key drivers of aging and disease risk.

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Date April 17, 2026 10:42 AM - 11:15 AM

Room 253

Session Major Symposium C: Epigenetic Modifiers as Drivers of Immune Function

Speaker Aki Minoda

Track Innate Immune Responses and Host Defense: Molecular Mechanisms (INM)

Year 2026

Keywords

intrinsic aging

sterile inflammation

age-associated B cells

single-cell sequencing

chromatin changes

transposable elements

autoantibodies

April 17, 2026 10:42 AM - 11:15 AM

253

Major Symposium C: Epigenetic Modifiers as Drivers of Immune Function

Aki Minoda

Innate Immune Responses and Host Defense: Molecular Mechanisms (INM)

2026