title: Immunosenescence and gender: a study in healthy Cubans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The progressive decline in the immune function during ageing is termed immunosenescence. Previous studies have reported differences between males and females in the distribution and cell responses of lymphocyte subsets. Most studies of immunosenescence have been done in populations of industrialized countries living in a rather cold environment, and facing lower antigenic challenges such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ageing on lymphocytes in a population with a high prevalence of CMV infection in all ages, and to compare gender differences related to the immunosenescence markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Different populations of peripheral blood leukocytes from healthy young and old IgG-CMV seropositive individuals were examined using flow cytometry. With age, the number and frequency of B cells and T cells significantly decreased, while highly differentiated T cells increased. Such changes were different in males and females. The age-associated decline of less differentiated lymphocyte subsets (CD19, CD4 and CD8 cells) and the increase of highly differentiated T cells were more prominent in females. In males, there were no significant changes in CD19, CD4 and CD8 subsets but there was a significant increase in the proportion of highly differentiated T cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shifts in lymphocyte subsets distribution were influenced by age and gender in an IgG-CMV seropositive population. These results suggest different patterns of immunosenescence in respect to gender differences. These patterns could have implications in the design of immunotherapy in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Center of Molecular Immunology, P,O, Box 16040, 216 St, Havana, Cuba. beatriz@cim.sld.cu.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: García Verdecia
authors.forename: Danay
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saavedra Hernández
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lorenzo-Luaces
authors.forename: Teresita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Jesús Badía Alvarez
authors.forename: Idrissa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Leonard Rupalé
authors.forename: Zaima
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mazorra Herrera
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crombet Ramos
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lage Dávila