Age-related increase of frequency of a new, phenotypically distinct subpopulation of human peripheral blood T cells expressing lowered levels of CD4.
Aging is associated with modifications of T-cell phenotype and function, leading to impaired activation in response to both new and recall antigens. It is not known if T-cell activation results in elimination of a number of the CD4 molecules from the cell surface, as is the case with CD3/T-cell receptor complexes, or how aging influences the process. The T cells of young and elderly donors with reduced expression of CD4 were examined to see whether these cells exhibit other phenotypic features suggesting their active state. It was found that T lymphocytes expressing CD4 can be divided into 2 semidiscrete subpopulations: the major (CD4(+)) population, in which the level of expression of CD4 is constant and high, and a minor population (CD4(lo)), in which the expression of CD4 can be up to an order of magnitude lower than on the CD4(+) cells. The proportion of CD4(lo) cells is age dependent and highly variable in the apparently healthy human population, with the expression of CD4 ranging from around 10% of all peripheral blood lymphocytes in the young to more than 30% in the elderly. Lowered expression of CD4 is correlated with a reduced expression of CD3, as well as with a decreased amount of CD28 and CD95Fas. Activation of CD4(lo) cells is suggested by their expression of CD25 and increased amounts of HLA-DR. Phenotypic characteristics of the CD4(lo) T-cell subpopulation suggest that it might be formed by (perhaps chronically) activated, temporarily apoptosis-resistant cells, possibly accumulating in the elderly. (Blood. 2001;98:1100-1107)
Bryl
E
E
Department of Immunology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
Gazda
M
M
Foerster
J
J
Witkowski
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015704:CD4 Antigens