Intrinsic defects in lymph node stromal cells underpin poor germinal center responses during aging

The failure to generate enduring humoral immunity after vaccination is a hallmark of advancing age. This can be attributed to a reduction in the germinal center response, which generates long-lived antibody-secreting cells that provide protection against (re)infection. Despite intensive investigation into the effect of age on the lymphoid compartment, the primary cellular defect that causes impaired germinal centers in aging has not been identified. Herein we demonstrate that aging reduces the capacity of germinal center-associated stromal cells to respond to vaccination. Heterochronic parabiosis and mathematical modeling demonstrate that a poor stromal cell response limits the size of the germinal center. This study reveals that age-associated defects in stromal cells are a significant barrier to efficacious vaccine responses in older individuals.