AlignTrackImmune
Dual-axis immune aging analysis from bulk RNA-seq
The Challenge
The immune system ages along multiple independent axes. Naive T cell pools deplete at one rate; chronic inflammation builds at another. Some individuals show aged adaptive compartments but no inflammation, while others maintain youthful T cells yet carry a high inflammatory burden. A single score cannot capture this complexity.
Traditional approaches reduce immune aging to one number, conflating distinct biological processes. What’s needed is a multi-dimensional assessment that separates lymphoid aging from myeloid-driven inflammation — enabling targeted interpretation and intervention strategies.
How AlignTrackImmune v2 Helps
AlignTrackImmune v2 computes two independent immune aging indices from bulk RNA-seq data:
- Lymphoid Aging Index — Measures naive T cell compartment depletion (CD4 and CD8 naive fractions) via AlignImmuneScape 29-cell deconvolution, adjusted for age and sex.
- Myeloid Inflammatory Index — Quantifies inflammatory gene module activity (50 data-driven genes derived from GTEx v8 whole blood), weighted by myeloid cell fraction.
Samples are classified into four immune aging quadrants based on their dual scores, providing an intuitive biological profile:
| Quadrant | Lymphoid | Myeloid | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Immune Youth | Low | Low | Preserved naive T cells, low inflammation |
| II. Inflammatory Burden | Low | High | Preserved T cells but active inflammation |
| III. Experienced & Quiet | High | Low | Aged T compartment, no inflammation |
| IV. Dual-Axis Aging | High | High | Highest risk: aging on both axes |
A score of 50 represents the age-sex expected value from the reference population. Scores above 50 indicate accelerated aging on that axis.
The AlignTrackImmune Interface
Interactive Shiny app with quadrant profiling, dual-axis visualization, and detailed per-sample results:
What You Receive
Dual-Axis Scores
Independent Lymphoid Aging Index and Myeloid Inflammatory Index (0-100 scale) for each sample, age-sex adjusted against a reference of 1,015 samples.
Quadrant Classification
Four-quadrant immune aging profile per sample — from Immune Youth to Dual-Axis Aging — with intuitive labels for clinical interpretation.
Cell Type Composition
Naive CD4 and CD8 T cell fractions, myeloid proportions, and inflammatory module coverage from AlignImmuneScape deconvolution.
Publication-Ready Exports
CSV with all scoring columns (z-scores, cell fractions, quadrant labels) and PDF reports with quadrant scatter plots.
Methodology & Validation
GTEx-derived gene module
Dual-axis scoring
n = 1,015 reference
The Lymphoid Aging Index uses AlignImmuneScape’s 29-cell type deconvolution to extract naive CD4 and CD8 T cell fractions, then normalizes against an age-sex regression model built on Sound Life PBMC and GTEx v8 whole blood samples.
The Myeloid Inflammatory Index scores a 50-gene inflammatory module derived from GTEx v8 whole blood (genes positively correlated with age, filtered to inflammatory/immune Hallmark pathways), weighted by myeloid cell fraction to account for compositional effects.
The combined reference population spans 1,015 samples across ages 20-79 from the Allen Sound Life cohort (~260 PBMC samples) and GTEx v8 (~755 whole blood samples). Validation includes longitudinal stability testing (paired r > 0.7) and sex-stratified age correlations in both sexes.
Ideal For
- Cohort studies requiring multi-dimensional immune aging assessment
- Immunotherapy patient stratification by immune aging quadrant
- Vaccine response prediction — identify individuals with aged lymphoid compartments
- Longitudinal monitoring of immune aging trajectory across interventions
- Inflammaging research — separate inflammatory burden from adaptive immune aging
- Any whole blood or PBMC bulk RNA-seq where immune status matters
Start Your Analysis
Ready to analyze your data with AlignTrackImmune? Submit your project and we'll scope a plan tailored to your experimental design.