The impact of aging on memory T cell phenotype and function in the human bone marrow

D Herndler-Brandstetter, K Landgraf… - Journal of leukocyte …, 2012 - academic.oup.com
D Herndler-Brandstetter, K Landgraf, A Tzankov, B Jenewein, R Brunauer, GT Laschober…
Journal of leukocyte biology, 2012academic.oup.com
Recently, the BM has been shown to play a key role in regulating the survival and function of
memory T cells. However, the impact of aging on these processes has not yet been studied.
We demonstrate that the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the BM is maintained during
aging. However, the composition of the T cell pool in the aged BM is altered with a decline of
naïve and an increase in TEM cells. In contrast to the PB, a highly activated CD8+ CD28–T
cell population, which lacks the late differentiation marker CD57, accumulates in the BM of …
Abstract
Recently, the BM has been shown to play a key role in regulating the survival and function of memory T cells. However, the impact of aging on these processes has not yet been studied. We demonstrate that the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the BM is maintained during aging. However, the composition of the T cell pool in the aged BM is altered with a decline of naïve and an increase in TEM cells. In contrast to the PB, a highly activated CD8+CD28 T cell population, which lacks the late differentiation marker CD57, accumulates in the BM of elderly persons. IL-6 and IL-15, which are both increased in the aged BM, efficiently induce the activation, proliferation, and differentiation of CD8+ T cells in vitro, highlighting a role of these cytokines in the age-dependent accumulation of highly activated CD8+CD28 T cells in the BM. Yet, these age-related changes do not impair the maintenance of a high number of polyfunctional memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the BM of elderly persons. In summary, aging leads to the accumulation of a highly activated CD8+CD28 T cell population in the BM, which is driven by the age-related increase of IL-6 and IL-15. Despite these changes, the aged BM is a rich source of polyfunctional memory T cells and may thus represent an important line of defense to fight recurrent infections in old age.
Oxford University Press