Nuclear factor-kappaB induction in CD45RO+ and CD45RA+ T cell subsets during aging.
An increase in the ratio of memory to naive T cells has been postulated to underlie immune hyporesponsiveness accompanying aging. Our analyses of the induction of nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB) in activated memory (CD45RO+) and naive (CD45RA+) T cell subsets from young and elderly donors has demonstrated that, regardless of donor age, memory T cells are not significantly altered in their responsiveness to TNF-alpha-mediated induction of NFkappaB. Although treatment with TNF-alpha induced nuclear localization of NFkappaB in both memory and naive T cell subsets, irrespective of the age of the donor, the levels of induced NFkappaB were significantly lower in both subsets of T cells obtained from the elderly, when compared to those in young. Examination of IkappaB alpha regulation revealed that TNF-alpha-mediated degradation of IkappaB alpha in both memory and naive T cells from the elderly was severely impaired, thus contributing to the lowered induction of the observed NFkappaB. In addition, this age-related decrease in induction of nuclear NFkappaB correlated with decrease in intracellular IL-2 receptor expression and anti-CD3-induced proliferation of both memory and naive T cells subsets. Taken together, our results suggest that the age-related hyporesponsiveness cannot be attributed to a skewing of the T cell population towards a memory phenotype in the elderly.
Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205, USA.
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Trebilcock
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Ponnappan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; D008297:Male; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
D017252:CD3 Complex; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D008934:Mitogens; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens