Human Memory T Cells with a Naive Phenotype Accumulate with Aging and Respond to Persistent Viruses

Overview

Journal Nat Immunol

Date 2016 Jun 9

PMID 27270402

Citations 88

Authors

Vesna Pulko

John S Davies

Carmine Martinez

Marion C Lanteri

Michael P Busch

Michael S Diamond

Kenneth Knox

Erin C Bush

Peter A Sims

Shripad Sinari

Dean Billheimer

Elias K Haddad

Kristy O Murray

Anne M Wertheimer

Janko Nikolich-Zugich

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The number of naive T cells decreases and susceptibility to new microbial infections increases with age. Here we describe a previously unknown subset of phenotypically naive human CD8(+) T cells that rapidly secreted multiple cytokines in response to persistent viral antigens but differed transcriptionally from memory and effector T cells. The frequency of these CD8(+) T cells, called 'memory T cells with a naive phenotype' (TMNP cells), increased with age and after severe acute infection and inversely correlated with the residual capacity of the immune system to respond to new infections with age. CD8(+) TMNP cells represent a potential new target for the immunotherapy of persistent infections and should be accounted for and subtracted from the naive pool if truly naive T cells are needed to respond to antigens.

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