AUTHOR=Frasca Daniela , Diaz Alain , Romero Maria , Blomberg Bonnie B. 

TITLE=Metformin Enhances B Cell Function and Antibody Responses of Elderly Individuals With Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging/articles/10.3389/fragi.2021.715981

DOI=10.3389/fragi.2021.715981

ISSN=2673-6217

ABSTRACT=<p>Our previous work has shown that young and elderly patients with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) treated with Metformin have optimal B cell function and serum antibodies specific for the seasonal influenza vaccine. In this paper, we have evaluated B cell function and the metabolic requirements of B cell antibody responses in elderly T2DM patients (E<sub>T2DM</sub>) taking or not Metformin, and compared to those of healthy elderly (E<sub>H</sub>) and healthy young (Y<sub>H</sub>) individuals. Results show that Metformin significantly increases <italic>in vivo</italic> B cell function, measured by influenza vaccine-specific serum antibodies, in E<sub>T2DM</sub> patients to the levels observed in E<sub>H</sub> and more importantly in Y<sub>H</sub> individuals. Metformin also decreases the frequencies of pro-inflammatory B cell subsets, as well as intrinsic inflammation and metabolic requirements of peripheral B cells from E<sub>T2DM</sub>. This hyper-metabolic phenotype of B cells from E<sub>T2DM</sub> is needed to support intrinsic inflammation, measured by the expression of transcripts for markers of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and the secretion of autoimmune antibodies. Importantly, B cell function in E<sub>T2DM</sub> patients taking Metformin is not only increased as compared to that in E<sub>T2DM</sub> patients not taking Metformin, but is comparable to B cell function measured in Y<sub>H</sub> individuals. These results altogether strongly support the anti-aging effects of Metformin on humoral immunity.</p>