title: Effect of age and latent CMV infection on CD8+ CD56+ T cells (NKT-like) frequency and functionality.
abstract: Changes in the T cell pool caused by CMV infection have been proposed to contribute to immunosenescence, but it has been postulated that CMV can also have some beneficial effects in young individuals improving the immune response to other pathogens. T cells expressing CD56 (NKT-like cells) are cytotoxic effector cells with a significant role in the immune response against cancer. We have studied how age and latent CMV infection affect the frequency of NKT-like cells (CD8+ CD56+ T cells) and their response to Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) in the context of CMV and ageing. NKT-like cell percentage increases with the combination of both CMV and age. The response to SEB and the polyfunctional index of NKT-like cells also increase with age in CMV-seropositive individuals. In young individuals, CMV infection induces a shift on the polyfunctional profile of CD8+ CD56- T cells not observed on the NKT-like cells response. NKT-like cells expressing CD57 are expanded in CMV-seropositive individuals and are more polyfunctional than their CD57-  counterpart. In addition CD57- NKT-like cells are more polyfunctional than CD8+ CD56- CD57- T cells. The results support that the expansion of polyfunctional NKT-cells may have a beneficial effect on the immune response against pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC) - Reina Sofía University Hospital - University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Fakhri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hassouneh
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC) - Reina Sofía University Hospital - University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC) - Reina Sofía University Hospital - University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: López-Sejas
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC) - Reina Sofía University Hospital - University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Corona
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Department of Physiology, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarazona
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC) - Reina Sofía University Hospital - University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain. Electronic address: rsolana@uco.es.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solana
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research (IMIBIC) - Reina Sofía University Hospital - University of Cordoba, 14004 Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D019002:CD56 Antigen; D004768:Enterotoxins; C522918:NCAM1 protein, human; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal
keywords: Ageing; CD57; CD8+ CD56+ NKT-like cells; CMV; Polyfunctionality