Age-dependent alterations of the T cell repertoire and functional diversity of T cells of the aged.
The aging immune system is characterized by the contraction of T cell receptor (TCR) diversity and the de novo expression of NKrelated receptors (NKR) on oligoclonal T cells. NKR+ T cells likely represent a secondary immune diversification as a biological adaptation of aging to ensure host defense despite shrinkage of the TCR repertoire. NKRs are expressed in various combinations even among TCR-identical cells, and are capable of triggering effector pathways in either TCR-independent or TCR-dependent fashion. Understanding the biology of NKR+ T cells will be pivotal to the development of strategies to enhance immunity in the elderly.
Vallejo
Abbe N
AN
Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. abbe.vallejo@chp.edu
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000276:immunology; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D054340:Receptors, KIR