HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Argentati, K. Articles by Provinciali, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Argentati, K. Articles by Provinciali, M.

(Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2002;72:65-71.)
© 2002 by Society for Leukocyte Biology

Numerical and functional alterations of circulating T lymphocytes in aged people and centenarians

Katy Argentati^*, Francesca Re^*, Alessia Donnini^*, Maria G. Tucci^*, Claudio Franceschi, Beatrice Bartozzi^*, Giovanni Bernardini^* and Mauro Provinciali^*

^* Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Immunology Center, INRCA Gerontol. Res. Dept., Ancona, Italy; and
Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Bologna, Italy

Correspondence: Mauro Provinciali, M.D., Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, Immunology Center, INRCA Gerontol. Res. Dept., Via Birarelli 8, 60121 Ancona, Italy. E-mail: m.provinciali{at}inrca.it

The aim of this study was to evaluate the peripheral representation, in vitro expansion, cytokine production, and cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes from 104 healthy subjects ranging in age from 19 to 103 years. We demonstrated that the absolute number of circulating ⁺ T cells was reduced significantly in old people and centenarians in comparison with young subjects as a consequence of the age-related decreased lymphocyte number. The decrease was a result of an age-dependent reduction of V2 T cells, whereas the absolute number of V1 T cells was unaffected by age. As a consequence, the V2/V1 ratio was inverted in old subjects and centenarians. A higher percentage of ⁺ T cells producing tumor necrosis factor was found in old donors and centenarians, whereas no age-related difference was observed in interferon - production. After a 10-day in vitro expansion, a twofold lower expansion index of T cells, and particularly of a V2, but not of a V1 subset, was found in old people and centenarians in comparison with young subjects. The cytotoxicity of sorted T cells was preserved in old people and centenarians. The alteration of T cells could contribute to the age-related derangement of T cell-mediated, adoptive responses and may represent a new characteristic of immunosenescence.

Key Words: aging • human • cellular activation • cytotoxicity

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. Caccamo, F. Dieli, D. Wesch, H. Jomaa, and M. Eberl Sex-specific phenotypical and functional differences in peripheral human V{gamma}9/V{delta}2 T cells J. Leukoc. Biol., April 1, 2006; 79(4): 663 - 666. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Casetti, G. Perretta, A. Taglioni, M. Mattei, V. Colizzi, F. Dieli, G. D'Offizi, M. Malkovsky, and F. Poccia Drug-Induced Expansion and Differentiation of V{gamma}9V{delta}2 T Cells In Vivo: The Role of Exogenous IL-2 J. Immunol., August 1, 2005; 175(3): 1593 - 1598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]