The immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring

Abstract Background Recent studies have suggested that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can accelerate cellular aging in multiple cell types in offspring, but its impact on immune senescence remains uncertain. Our prior study reveals GDM increased the secretion of inflammatory factors by monocyte...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan Zhang, Rui Guo, Min Yin, Mei Shi, Ting Zhong, Shanshan Liu, Xia Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Immunity & Ageing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12979-025-00513-z
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849734010065911808
author Yan Zhang
Rui Guo
Min Yin
Mei Shi
Ting Zhong
Shanshan Liu
Xia Li
author_facet Yan Zhang
Rui Guo
Min Yin
Mei Shi
Ting Zhong
Shanshan Liu
Xia Li
author_sort Yan Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Recent studies have suggested that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can accelerate cellular aging in multiple cell types in offspring, but its impact on immune senescence remains uncertain. Our prior study reveals GDM increased the secretion of inflammatory factors by monocytes in offspring. This study discovered the transcriptome characteristics of aging monocytes at the single-cell level and explore the impact of GDM on the progression of monocyte aging in offspring. Method Single-cell sequencing data from 56 healthy individuals (aged 0-100 years), comprising self-measured samples (n = 6) and publicly available datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO, n = 50), were analyzed to characterize monocyte senescence. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to screen for age-related genes. A random forest model was created to predict immune age in monocytes, allowing for quantitative assessment of aging. Results We detected an increase in the number of inflammatory monocytes expressing IL1B and CXCL8 with age. Two age-related gene expression patterns were identified in monocytes. Analysis of offspring monocytes from mothers with GDM suggested that exposure to a GDM environment in the womb may lead to increased expression of aging-related genes, a hindered cell cycle, and increased immune age. The immune age of monocytes at birth is significantly linked to maternal weight gain, high fasting blood glucose levels, and cord blood C-peptide levels during pregnancy. Conclusions Exposure to GDM during pregnancy accelerates aging in offspring immune cells. Monitoring maternal weight and blood sugar during GDM can help prevent negative effects on the offspring immune system.
format Article
id doaj-art-edae76247c6648e2a7323df99dc81fd3
institution DOAJ
issn 1742-4933
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Immunity & Ageing
spelling doaj-art-edae76247c6648e2a7323df99dc81fd32025-08-20T03:07:54ZengBMCImmunity & Ageing1742-49332025-05-0122111410.1186/s12979-025-00513-zThe immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspringYan Zhang0Rui Guo1Min Yin2Mei Shi3Ting Zhong4Shanshan Liu5Xia Li6National Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityNational Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Diabetes Immunology, Ministry of Education, and Department of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityAbstract Background Recent studies have suggested that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can accelerate cellular aging in multiple cell types in offspring, but its impact on immune senescence remains uncertain. Our prior study reveals GDM increased the secretion of inflammatory factors by monocytes in offspring. This study discovered the transcriptome characteristics of aging monocytes at the single-cell level and explore the impact of GDM on the progression of monocyte aging in offspring. Method Single-cell sequencing data from 56 healthy individuals (aged 0-100 years), comprising self-measured samples (n = 6) and publicly available datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO, n = 50), were analyzed to characterize monocyte senescence. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to screen for age-related genes. A random forest model was created to predict immune age in monocytes, allowing for quantitative assessment of aging. Results We detected an increase in the number of inflammatory monocytes expressing IL1B and CXCL8 with age. Two age-related gene expression patterns were identified in monocytes. Analysis of offspring monocytes from mothers with GDM suggested that exposure to a GDM environment in the womb may lead to increased expression of aging-related genes, a hindered cell cycle, and increased immune age. The immune age of monocytes at birth is significantly linked to maternal weight gain, high fasting blood glucose levels, and cord blood C-peptide levels during pregnancy. Conclusions Exposure to GDM during pregnancy accelerates aging in offspring immune cells. Monitoring maternal weight and blood sugar during GDM can help prevent negative effects on the offspring immune system.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12979-025-00513-zGestational diabetesUmbilical cord bloodImmune senescenceMonocytes
spellingShingle Yan Zhang
Rui Guo
Min Yin
Mei Shi
Ting Zhong
Shanshan Liu
Xia Li
The immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring
Immunity & Ageing
Gestational diabetes
Umbilical cord blood
Immune senescence
Monocytes
title The immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring
title_full The immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring
title_fullStr The immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring
title_full_unstemmed The immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring
title_short The immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring
title_sort immunological age prediction of monocytes indicates that gestational diabetes mellitus accelerates the aging of monocytes in offspring
topic Gestational diabetes
Umbilical cord blood
Immune senescence
Monocytes
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12979-025-00513-z
work_keys_str_mv AT yanzhang theimmunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT ruiguo theimmunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT minyin theimmunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT meishi theimmunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT tingzhong theimmunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT shanshanliu theimmunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT xiali theimmunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT yanzhang immunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT ruiguo immunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT minyin immunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT meishi immunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT tingzhong immunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT shanshanliu immunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring
AT xiali immunologicalagepredictionofmonocytesindicatesthatgestationaldiabetesmellitusacceleratestheagingofmonocytesinoffspring