title: Immunologic markers in a longitudinal study of aging in pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina).
abstract: Blood lymphocyte subsets, serum immunoglobulins (Ig), response of lymphocytes to mitogens, and natural killer (NK) cell activity were evaluated as potential biomarkers for primate aging. All were evaluated in a cross-sectional study of 60 pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) ranging from 2 to 32 years of age. Lymphocyte responses to mitogens were lower in older animals than in most younger ones. NK cell activity showed no clear relation to age cohort. In a longitudinal study of lymphocyte subsets and immunoglobulins, class I restricted T cells (CD8+bri) of the memory (CD18+bri) subtype increased with age, whereas those of the naive (CD18+dull) subtype decreased with age in females. A class II restricted T-cell subset (CD4+CD45RA-), which includes memory T cells, increased with age in females. Serum IgA increased. These results support the utility of memory and naive subsets of CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and serum IgA as biomarkers for longitudinal studies. Total lymphocytes, total T cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells may also be useful in this species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Short
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology*; D008254:Macaca nemestrina; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007136:Immunoglobulins