荷兰内梅亨大学Jorge Domínguez-Andrés等研究人员发现，训练免疫和异源性抗感染能力能够跨代传播。该研究于2021年10月18日在线发表于国际一流学术期刊《自然—免疫学》。

研究人员发现，训练免疫在小鼠后代中世代相传，这些小鼠在白念珠菌的亚致死性系统性感染或酵母聚糖的感染中幸存下来。受训小鼠的后代表现出与骨髓驻留的骨髓效应细胞和祖细胞分区有关的细胞、发育、转录和表观遗传变化。此外，受训小鼠的后代显示出对内毒素感染的反应能力增强，同时对系统性异源大肠杆菌和单核细胞增生性李斯特菌的感染有更好的保护。经静脉感染白念珠菌后亲代雄性小鼠的精子DNA显示出与免疫基因位点有关的DNA甲基化差异。这些结果为在哺乳动物中继承增强感染保护的训练免疫提供了证据。

据悉，在植物和无脊椎动物中已经证明了与表观遗传修饰有关的免疫性状的代际遗传。

附：英文原文

Title: Transmission of trained immunity and heterologous resistance to infections across generations

Author: Katzmarski, Natalie, Domnguez-Andrs, Jorge, Cirovic, Branko, Renieris, Georgios, Ciarlo, Eleonora, Le Roy, Didier, Lepikhov, Konstantin, Kattler, Kathrin, Gasparoni, Gilles, Hndler, Kristian, Theis, Heidi, Beyer, Marc, van der Meer, Jos W. M., Joosten, Leo A. B., Walter, Jrn, Schultze, Joachim L., Roger, Thierry, Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Evangelos J., Schlitzer, Andreas, Netea, Mihai G.

Issue&Volume: 2021-10-18

Abstract: Intergenerational inheritance of immune traits linked to epigenetic modifications has been demonstrated in plants and invertebrates. Here we provide evidence for transmission of trained immunity across generations to murine progeny that survived a sublethal systemic infection with Candida albicans or a zymosan challenge. The progeny of trained mice exhibited cellular, developmental, transcriptional and epigenetic changes associated with the bone marrow-resident myeloid effector and progenitor cell compartment. Moreover, the progeny of trained mice showed enhanced responsiveness to endotoxin challenge, alongside improved protection against systemic heterologous Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes infections. Sperm DNA of parental male mice intravenously infected with the fungus C. albicans showed DNA methylation differences linked to immune gene loci. These results provide evidence for inheritance of trained immunity in mammals, enhancing protection against infections. Transgenerational transmission of acquired immunological traits has been demonstrated in invertebrates and plants but not mammals. Katzmarski et al. demonstrate that trained immunity that protects against heterologous infections can be transmitted to F2 offspring.

DOI: 10.1038/s41590-021-01052-7

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-021-01052-7