title: Adults 65 years old and older have reduced numbers of functional memory T cells to respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein.
abstract: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects elderly (≥65 years) adults, causing medically attended illness and hospitalizations. While RSV neutralizing antibody levels correlate inversely with RSV-associated hospitalization in the elderly, the role of RSV-specific T cells in preventing disease in the elderly remains unclear. We examined RSV-specific humoral, mucosal, and cellular immune profiles in healthy elderly (65 to 85 years) and young (20 to 30 years) adults. RSV neutralization antibody titers in the elderly (10.5 ± 2.2 log(2)) and young (10.5 ± 2.1 log(2)) were similar. In contrast, levels of RSV F protein-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing T cells were lower in elderly (180 ± 80 spot-forming cells [SFC]/10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC]) than in young adults (1,250 ± 420 SFC/10(6) PBMC). Higher levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13; 3,000 ± 1,000 pg/ml) in cultured PBMC supernatants and lower frequency of RSV F-specific CD107a(+) CD8(+) T cells (3.0% ± 1.6% versus 5.0% ± 1.6%) were measured in PBMC from elderly than young adults. These results suggest that deficient RSV F-specific T cell responses contribute to susceptibility to severe RSV disease in elderly adults.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases/Vaccines Research, MedImmune, LLC, Mountain View, California, USA. PattonK@medimmune.com
authors.forename: Anu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherukuri
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patton
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.forename: Fengrong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Esser
authors.forename: Roderick S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000032:analysis; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D018793:Interleukin-13; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma