Title | Age-related differences in T cell subsets in a nationally representative sample of people over age 55: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2022 |
Authors | Thyagarajan, B, Faul, J, Vivek, S, Kim, JKi, Nikolich-Žugich, J, Weir, DR, Crimmins, EM |
Journal | The Journals of Gerontology, Series A |
Volume | 77 |
Issue | 5 |
Pagination | 927-933 |
ISSN Number | 1758-535X |
Keywords | Aging, CMV Seropositivity |
Abstract | Though T cell immunosenescence is a major risk factor for age-related diseases, susceptibility to infections, and responses to vaccines, differences in T cells subset counts and representation by age and sex have not been determined for a large sample representative of the national population of the US. We evaluated the counts of T cell subsets including total, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and their naïve (Tn), effector memory (Tem) and effector subsets, in the context of age, sex and exposure to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection among 8,848 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants, a nationally representative study of adults over 55 years. Total T cells (CD3+) and CD4+ cells declined markedly with age; CD8+ T cells declined somewhat less. While CD4+ T cell declines with age occurred for both CMV seropositive and CMV seronegative groups, total T cells and CD8+ cells were both substantially higher among the CMV seropositive group. Numbers of Tn CD4+ and CD8+ cells were strongly and inversely related to age, were better conserved among women, and were independent of CMV seropositivity. By contrast, accumulation of the CD8+ and CD4+ Tem and effector subsets was CMV-associated. This is the first study to provide counts of T cell subsets by age and sex in a national sample of older US adults over the age of 55 years. Understanding T cell changes with age and sex is an important first step in determining strategies to reduce its impact on age-related diseases and susceptibility to infection. |
DOI | 10.1093/gerona/glab300 |
Citation Key | 11926 |
PubMed ID | 34633448 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC9071411 |