Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
05:31

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels

Published on: August 7, 2017

Host-microbial interactions at the nasal mucosa in young children and adults: A retrospective, cross-sectional study

Jesús Reiné1, Lisa A King2, Youvika Singh2

  • 1Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK; Oxford Vaccine Group, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

Cell Reports
|May 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Young children exhibit distinct nasal immune profiles, with fewer granulocytes but more B and T cells. This immune immaturity correlates with specific bacterial presence, highlighting age-dependent host-microbe interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Microbiology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Young children are highly susceptible to respiratory tract infections due to frequent colonization by respiratory pathogens.
  • Limited understanding exists regarding age-related differences in the mucosal immune system between children and adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate age-dependent variations in the nasal mucosal immune system and host-microbe interactions in young children versus adults.
  • To compare immune cell composition, activation status, and microbial colonization patterns across different age groups.

Main Methods:

  • Collected nasal samples from 50 young children (1-5 years) and 318 young adults (18-34 years).
  • Employed multi-omics data integration, combining host data (immunophenotyping, transcriptomics, cytokines) with microbial data (16S-rRNA sequencing, viral PCRs, pneumococcal culture).

Main Results:

  • Young children displayed a lower abundance of mucosal granulocytes but increased B and T cell subsets compared to adults.
  • Children exhibited heightened immune activation and inflammation, associated with Haemophilus spp. and Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization, but not viral presence.
  • In adults, Haemophilus spp. correlated with T cell and monocyte recruitment, while Dolosigranulum showed a negative association with neutrophil degranulation.

Conclusions:

  • Nasal immune composition and host-pathogen interactions are significantly dependent on age.
  • Age-related differences in the mucosal immune system influence susceptibility and response to respiratory pathogens in early life.

Keywords:
CP: microbiologyaginghost-pathogen interactionsmicrobiomemucosal immune systemnasal samplesupper respiratory tract immunityyoung adultsyoung children

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