title: The influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on immune system aging.
abstract: Sex and age-matched wild-type and TCR transgenic mice were infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV) at 6 months of age and followed for 12 additional months to examine aging of the immune system. It was found that viral infection of C57Bl/6 mice resulted in accelerated aging of the immune system as shown by a loss of CD8(+)28(+) cells and an accumulation of KLRG1(+) T cells. CMV infection of OT-1 transgenic mice had no influence on immune aging of these mice which nonetheless demonstrated an accumulation of CD8(+)28(-) and KLRG1(+) T cells with time. CD4(+) T cells were unaffected in either strain of mice. Thus, immunological aging was found to be due to both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic factors. Persistent viral infections may accelerate immunological aging but consideration must be given to individual variation in the aging process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, PO Box 245221, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Badowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, PO Box 245221, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States.
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Shultz
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, PO Box 245221, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States.
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eason
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, PO Box 245221, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States.
authors.forename: Nafees
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunobiology, University of Arizona, PO Box 245221, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States. Electronic address: davidh@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D007107:Immune System; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018146:Muromegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D018106:CD28 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; C451496:Klrg1 protein, mouse; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic
keywords: Aging; Immunity; MCMV; Mice; OT-1