Developmental programming of macrophages by early life adversity

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Developmental Biology
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Macrophages are vital immune cells in all organs, originating during fetal development and self-maintaining in adults.
• Early-life environmental factors can profoundly impact macrophage development and function.
• Adverse developmental conditions are increasingly linked to a wide range of adult diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore macrophages as targets of environmental adversities during development.
• To understand how macrophages mediate the long-term health impacts of early-life exposures.
• To review evidence and experimental strategies for studying macrophage programming.

Main Methods:

• Review of current understanding of macrophage ontogeny and tissue biology.
• Analysis of mechanisms by which environmental stressors mediate fetal programming.
• Synthesis of evidence for macrophage programming by various adversities (maternal immune activation, diet, pollutants).

Main Results:

• Fetal-derived macrophages are susceptible to developmental environmental perturbations.
• Environmental adversities can program macrophages, contributing to disease later in life.
• Diverse environmental factors demonstrate disease relevance across organ systems.

Conclusions:

• Macrophages are key targets and mediators in developmental programming of health and disease.
• Understanding macrophage programming offers insights into preventing and treating environmentally linked diseases.
• Further research is needed to conceptualize and address open questions in macrophage programming.