title: Decreased proportion of cytomegalovirus specific CD8 T-cells but no signs of general immunosenescence in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been suggested as a contributing force behind the impaired immune responsiveness in the elderly, with decreased numbers of naïve T-cells and an increased proportion of effector T-cells. Immunological impairment is also implicated as a part of the pathogenesis in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was to investigate whether AD patients present with a different CMV-specific CD8 immune profile compared to non-demented controls. Blood samples from 50 AD patients and 50 age-matched controls were analysed for HLA-type, CMV serostatus and systemic inflammatory biomarkers. Using multi-colour flow cytometry, lymphocytes from peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analysed for CMV-specific CD8 immunity with MHC-I tetramers A01, A02, A24, B07, B08 and B35 and further classified using CD27, CD28, CD45RA and CCR7 antibodies. Among CMV seropositive subjects, patients with AD had significantly lower proportions of CMV-specific CD8 T-cells compared to controls, 1.16 % vs. 4.13 % (p=0.0057). Regardless of dementia status, CMV seropositive subjects presented with a lower proportion of naïve CD8 cells and a higher proportion of effector CD8 cells compared to seronegative subjects. Interestingly, patients with AD showed a decreased proportion of CMV-specific CD8 cells but no difference in general CD8 differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden ; Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Westman
authors.forename: Anna-Karin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lidehall
authors.forename: Peetra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ingelsson
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kilander
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lannfelt
authors.forename: Olle
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Korsgren
authors.forename: Britt-Marie
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Eriksson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054400:Receptors, CCR7 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C515370:CCR7 protein, human; D054400:Receptors, CCR7