Reduced Intestinal Motility, Mucosal Barrier Function, and Inflammation in Aged Monkeys

Area of Science:

• Aging research
• Gastroenterology
• Primate physiology

Background:

• Aging is associated with increased systemic inflammation and altered gut function.
• Nutritional status and diet significantly impact gastrointestinal health.
• Previous studies often confound age-related changes with environmental or disease factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related changes in general health and intestinal physiology in non-human primates.
• To determine if intestinal changes occur independently of nutritional stressors.
• To assess systemic inflammation, intestinal barrier function, and microbial translocation in young versus old primates.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of vervet monkeys (Chlorcebus aethiops sabaeus) with comparable life histories and environments.
• Measurement of health phenotypes, circulating cytokines, and biomarkers of microbial translocation (MT).
• Characterization of intestinal motility, permeability, and fecal microbiomes in subsets of animals.

Main Results:

• Older monkeys exhibited higher systemic inflammation and impaired intestinal barrier function compared to younger monkeys.
• Significant reductions in intestinal motility were observed in older primates.
• These age-related intestinal changes occurred without substantial alterations in fecal microbiome composition.

Conclusions:

• Deteriorating intestinal function is a characteristic of normal aging in primates.
• Age-related intestinal dysfunction may contribute to the inflammatory burden observed in aging populations.
• Interventions targeting intestinal motility and barrier function may enhance health during aging.