The Milieu Intérieur study — An integrative approach for study of human immunological variance

Highlights

• A 1000-person healthy population-based study stratified according to sex and age

• Biological correlates of sex, age and smoking-habits

• Risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome and CMV infection

• Identification of sex-bias in the thresholds for metabolic score determination

• Opportunity for assessing the determinants of human immunologic variance

Abstract

The Milieu Intérieur Consortium has established a 1000-person healthy population-based study (stratified according to sex and age), creating an unparalleled opportunity for assessing the determinants of human immunologic variance. Herein, we define the criteria utilized for participant enrollment, and highlight the key data that were collected for correlative studies. In this report, we analyzed biological correlates of sex, age, smoking-habits, metabolic score and CMV infection. We characterized and identified unique risk factors among healthy donors, as compared to studies that have focused on the general population or disease cohorts. Finally, we highlight sex-bias in the thresholds used for metabolic score determination and recommend a deeper examination of current guidelines. In sum, our clinical design, standardized sample collection strategies, and epidemiological data analyses have established the foundation for defining variability within human immune responses.