Skip to main content

Biological and Phenotypic Alterations of T Cells in Aging

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Immunology of Aging

Abstract

The deleterious effects of ageing on the T cell compartment are well studied, as they lead to increased susceptibility to infections, cancers, and autoimmunity in elders. Ageing reduces the number and T cell potential of hematopoietic precursors, and involution of the thymus renders it less capable of supporting de novo T cell development. Consequently, ageing compromises the functions of lymphocytes, resulting in a T cell pool with restricted receptor specificity and fewer naïve T cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alam I, Larbi A, Pawelec G (2012) Nutritional status influences peripheral immune cell phenotypes in healthy men in rural Pakistan. Immun Ageing 9(1):16

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarado C, Alvarez P, Puerto M et al (2006) Dietary supplementation with antioxidants improves functions and decreases oxidative stress of leukocytes from prematurely aging mice. Nutrition 22(7–8):767–777

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Behzad H, Huckriede AL, Haynes L et al (2012) GLA-SE, a synthetic toll-like receptor 4 agonist, enhances T-cell responses to influenza vaccine in older adults. J Infect Dis 205(3):466–473

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen BJ, Cui X, Sempowski GD et al (2003) Growth hormone accelerates immune recovery following allogeneic T-cell-depleted bone marrow transplantation in mice. Exp Hematol 31(10):953–958

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen BJ, Deoliveira D, Spasojevic I et al (2010) Growth hormone mitigates against lethal irradiation and enhances hematologic and immune recovery in mice and nonhuman primates. PLoS One 5(6):e11056

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chidgey AP, Boyd RL (2006) Stemming the tide of thymic aging. Nat Immunol 7(10):1013–1016

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chou JP, Effros RB (2013) T cell replicative senescence in human aging. Curr Pharm Des 19(9):1680–1698

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Curtsinger JM, Schmidt CS, Mondino A et al (1999) Inflammatory cytokines provide a third signal for activation of naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. J Immunol 162(6):3256–3262

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Douziech N, Seres I, Larbi A et al (2002) Modulation of human lymphocyte proliferative response with aging. Exp Gerontol 37(2–3):369–387

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eaton SM, Maue AC, Swain SL et al (2008) Bone marrow precursor cells from aged mice generate CD4 T cells that function well in primary and memory responses. J Immunol 181(7):4825–4831

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Effros RB (2003) Genetic alterations in the ageing immune system: impact on infection and cancer. Mech Ageing Dev 124(1):71–77

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Engwerda CR, Fox BS, Handwerger BS (1996) Cytokine production by T lymphocytes from young and aged mice. J Immunol 156(10):3621–3630

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg GL, Sutherland JS, Hammet MV et al (2005) Sex steroid ablation enhances lymphoid recovery following autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Transplantation 80(11):1604–1613

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg GL, Alpdogan O, Muriglan SJ et al (2007) Enhanced immune reconstitution by sex steroid ablation following allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. J Immunol 178(11):7473–7484

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haynes L, Swain SL (2006) Why aging T cells fail: implications for vaccination. Immunity 24(6):663–666

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haynes L, Linton PJ, Eaton SM et al (1999) Interleukin 2, but not other common gamma chain-binding cytokines, can reverse the defect in generation of CD4 effector T cells from naive T cells of aged mice. J Exp Med 190(7):1013–1024

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haynes L, Eaton SM, Burns EM et al (2003) CD4 T cell memory derived from young naive cells functions well into old age, but memory generated from aged naive cells functions poorly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100(25):15053–15058

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haynes L, Eaton SM, Burns EM et al (2004) Inflammatory cytokines overcome age-related defects in CD4 T cell responses in vivo. J Immunol 172(9):5194–5199

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heng TS, Chidgey AP, Boyd RL (2010) Getting back at nature: understanding thymic development and overcoming its atrophy. Curr Opin Pharmacol 10(4):425–433

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henson SM, Akbar AN (2010) Memory T-cell homeostasis and senescence during aging. Adv Exp Med Biol 684:189–197

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • High KP, Akbar AN, Nikolich-Zugich J (2012) Translational research in immune senescence: assessing the relevance of current models. Semin Immunol 24(5):373–382

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs MV, Ernst DN, Torbett BE et al (1991) Cell proliferation and cytokine production by CD4+ cells from old mice. J Cell Biochem 46(4):312–320

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holland AM, van den Brink MR (2009) Rejuvenation of the aging T cell compartment. Curr Opin Immunol 21(4):454–459

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hosaka N, Nose M, Kyogoku M et al (1996) Thymus transplantation, a critical factor for correction of autoimmune disease in aging MRL/+mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 93(16):8558–8562

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kapasi ZF, Murali-Krishna K, McRae ML et al (2002) Defective generation but normal maintenance of memory T cells in old mice. Eur J Immunol 32(6):1567–1573

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaszubowska L (2008) Telomere shortening and ageing of the immune system. J Physiol Pharmacol 59(Suppl 9):169–186

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kilpatrick RD, Rickabaugh T, Hultin LE et al (2008) Homeostasis of the naive CD4+ T cell compartment during aging. J Immunol 180(3):1499–1507

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klinman NR, Kline GH (1997) The B-cell biology of aging. Immunol Rev 160:103–114

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kwon TK, Nagel JE, Buchholz MA et al (1996) Characterization of the murine cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor gene p27Kip1. Gene 180(1–2):113–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee N, Shin MS, Kang I (2012) T-cell biology in aging, with a focus on lung disease. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 67(3):254–263

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Linton PJ, Dorshkind K (2004) Age-related changes in lymphocyte development and function. Nat Immunol 5(2):133–139

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lustyik G, O’Leary JJ (1989) Aging and the mobilization of intracellular calcium by phytohemagglutinin in human T cells. J Gerontol 44(2):B30–B36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maue AC, Eaton SM, Lanthier PA et al (2009) Proinflammatory adjuvants enhance the cognate helper activity of aged CD4 T cells. J Immunol 182(10):6129–6135

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLeod JD (2000) Apoptotic capability in ageing T cells. Mech Ageing Dev 121(1–3):151–159

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Minematsu T, Yamamoto Y, Nagase T et al (2011) Aging enhances maceration-induced ultrastructural alteration of the epidermis and impairment of skin barrier function. J Dermatol Sci 62(3):160–168

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noble JM, Ford GA, Thomas TH (1999) Effect of aging on CD11b and CD69 surface expression by vesicular insertion in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Clin Sci (Lond) 97(3):323–329

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pae M, Meydani SN, Wu D (2012) The role of nutrition in enhancing immunity in aging. Ageing Dis 3(1):91–129

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponnappan U (2002) Ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is compromised in CD45RO + and CD45RA + T lymphocyte subsets during aging. Exp Gerontol 37(2–3):359–367

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santiago AF, Alves AC, Oliveira RP et al (2011) Aging correlates with reduction in regulatory-type cytokines and T cells in the gut mucosa. Immunobiology 216(10):1085–1093

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sempowski GD, Gooding ME, Liao HX et al (2002) T cell receptor excision circle assessment of thymopoiesis in aging mice. Mol Immunol 38(11):841–848

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Strasser A, Sonnek U, Niedermuller H (1997) Age-related changes in plasma IgM level after SRBC-stimulation in the rat. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 25(3):277–284

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tamura T, Kunimatsu T, Yee ST et al (2000) Molecular mechanism of the impairment in activation signal transduction in CD4(+) T cells from old mice. Int Immunol 12(8):1205–1215

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • von Freeden-Jeffry U, Solvason N, Howard M et al (1997) The earliest T lineage-committed cells depend on IL-7 for Bcl-2 expression and normal cell cycle progression. Immunity 7(1):147–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weinberger B, Grubeck-Loebenstein B (2012) Vaccines for the elderly. Clin Microbiol Infect 18(Suppl 5):100–108

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Welniak LA, Sun R, Murphy WJ (2002) The role of growth hormone in T-cell development and reconstitution. J Leukoc Biol 71(3):381–387

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou X, McElhaney JE (2011) Age-related changes in memory and effector T cells responding to influenza A/H3N2 and pandemic A/H1N1 strains in humans. Vaccine 29(11):2169–2177

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahmad Massoud PharmD, MPH, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Massoud, A., Massoud, A.H. (2014). Biological and Phenotypic Alterations of T Cells in Aging. In: Massoud, A., Rezaei, N. (eds) Immunology of Aging. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39495-9_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-39495-9_11

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-39494-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-39495-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics