title: End stage renal disease patients have a skewed T cell receptor Vβ repertoire.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  End stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with defective T-cell mediated immunity. A diverse T-cell receptor (TCR) Vβ repertoire is central to effective T-cell mediated immune responses to foreign antigens. In this study, the effect of ESRD on TCR Vβ repertoire was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A higher proportion of ESRD patients (68.9 %) had a skewed TCR Vβ repertoire compared to age and cytomegalovirus (CMV) - IgG serostatus matched healthy individuals (31.4 %, P < 0.001). Age, CMV serostatus and ESRD were independently associated with an increase in shifting of the TCR Vβ repertoire. More differentiated CD8(+) T cells were observed in young ESRD patients with a shifted TCR Vβ repertoire. CD31-expressing naive T cells and relative telomere length of T cells were not significantly related to TCR Vβ skewing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESRD significantly skewed the TCR Vβ repertoire particularly in the elderly population, which may contribute to the uremia-associated defect in T-cell mediated immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section Nephrology and Transplantation, Erasmus University Medical Center, Room NA-523, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anton W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Langerak
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ingrid L M
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Wolvers-Tettero
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section Nephrology and Transplantation, Erasmus University Medical Center, Room NA-523, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruud W J
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Meijers
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section Nephrology and Transplantation, Erasmus University Medical Center, Room NA-523, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carla C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Baan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section Nephrology and Transplantation, Erasmus University Medical Center, Room NA-523, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nicolle H R
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Litjens
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Section Nephrology and Transplantation, Erasmus University Medical Center, Room NA-523, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michiel G H
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Betjes
keywords: Age; CD28 null T cells; Cytomegalovirus–IgG serostatus; End stage renal disease; T cell receptor Vβ repertoire diversity