Aging is associated with increased human T cell CC chemokine receptor gene expression.
Leukocyte chemokine receptors (CR) are central to the pathogenesis of many human diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection. Elderly individuals infected with the HIV-1 virus have a shorter disease-free interval and worse clinic outcome. However, the reasons for this are unclear. We recently reported increased CC chemokine receptor (CCR) expression in CD4+ T cells in aged mice, but it is not known if similar changes occur in humans. In addition, it is unclear if the observed differences are related to aged-related expansion in the memory T cell compartment. In this report, we examined the effects of aging on CCR gene expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), CD4+ T cells, and naive/memory T cells. Aging is found to be associated with increased CCR1-5 expression in PBMCs and CD4+ T cells. In addition, although the age-related increases in CCR expression occurred in both naive and memory T cells, the greatest changes were seen in the memory T cell subset. We propose that the observed aging-associated increase in T cell chemokine receptor expression may contribute to the worse clinical outcome of T cell chemokine receptor-dependent disease, such as HIV-1 infection, in the elderly.
Divisions of Geriatric Medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0940, USA. ryung@umich.edu
Raymond L
RL
Yung
Ruran
R
Mo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
D019742:Chemokines, CC; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine