Age-related accumulation of a novel CD44 + CD25lowgammadelta T-cell population in hematopoietic organs of the mouse.
We discovered a novel population of gammadelta T cells in the mouse that accumulates with age in hematopoietic organs, but not in epithelia. These cells are CD25low (an unusual phenotype for gammadelta T cells in the mouse); express higher levels of TCRgammadelta and CD44 than do CD25- gammadelta T cells; mainly express Vgamma2, Vgamma3, and Vgamma4 chains; and are largely quiescent. A very similar cell population appears in the late stages of fetal thymus organ cultures, suggesting that the accumulation of CD44 + CD25lowTCRgammadelta + cells is a response to stress induced by aging in vivo or by culture in vitro. The precursors of CD44 + CD25lowTCRgammadelta + cells are generated during fetal or very young adult life, as this population was undetectable in aged recipients of bone marrow from old or young donors. CD44 + CD25lowTCRgammadelta + cells may be a biomarker of aging, but could also play a role in the inflammatory changes that accompany aging.
Langer
Jessica C
JC
Department for Gene and Cell Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Box 1496, Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA.
Kumar
Ritu
R
Snoeck
Hans-Willem
HW
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D012313:RNA