# Effects of age and social adversity on immune status and responsiveness in a non-human primate model of human aging

> **NIH NIH R36** · UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MED SCIENCES · 2024 · $34,694

## Abstract

Project Summary
The average human lifespan has almost doubled over the past century, leading to an increase in the prevalence of
diseases of aging, such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cognitive decline and autoimmune disorders. Aging is
associated with a decline in adaptive immune function and an increase in inflammation, which underlie many
age-related diseases. These immunological changes are similar to those seen in individuals exposed to social
adversity, who may age more rapidly than those unexposed. Yet, it is unclear how social adversity alters immunity
across demographic factors - data that are essential to identify how it might increase aging-related diseases. The
central objective of this proposal is to identify the specific cell types and molecular markers of the immune
system that contribute to the aging process and how social adversity shapes the function of these cells and
markers. To test this, I draw on a longitudinal study of free-ranging nonhuman primates – the Cayo Santiago
rhesus macaques. These animals present a unique opportunity to examine aging and its social determinants. First,
rhesus macaques have a strong phylogenetic proximity to humans and show very similar aging trajectories,
making them an exceptional model for human health. Second, rhesus macaques form stable social structures that
dictate individuals' access to resources and peers, similar to human populations- making this species an ideal
model in which to study the potential effect that social adversity has on accelerating aging. The central
hypothesis of this proposal is that social adversity leads to an impaired immune system, recapitulating the
effects of aging, which consequently accelerates the biological signatures of aging independently of an
individual’s chronological age. To test this hypothesis, I will collect data from the Cayo Santiago rhesus
macaque population over two years, totaling a sample size of 200 individuals. Aim 1 of this proposal will measure
and explore how both age social adversity and age alter immunity at baseline by measuring different immune cell
types – both lymphocytes and monocyte subpopulations- using flow cytometry. Aim 2 of this project will test
how age and social adversity alter the immune response to an infection, and if they do so in a similar way. Here,
we will create a pro-inflammatory (Th1) and anti-inflammatory (Th2) immune response by isolating and
stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using live pathogens and pathogens molecules. In recent
years, it has become clear that the social environment plays a critical role in the development and overall health
across different species. By combining physiological data and behavioral observations, the proposed project will
generate data that is necessary to understand the role that social adversity may play in inducing aging-related
changes in immunity. Ultimately, this project will reveal how the social environment alters the pace of aging,
which will...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10906989
- **Project number:** 5R36AG080081-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MED SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Mitchell Sanchez-Rosado
- **Activity code:** R36 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $34,694
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-08-15 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10906989

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10906989, Effects of age and social adversity on immune status and responsiveness in a non-human primate model of human aging (5R36AG080081-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10906989. Licensed CC0.

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