title: Effect of CMV and Aging on the Differential Expression of CD300a, CD161, T-bet, and Eomes on NK Cell Subsets.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphoid cells involved in the defense against virus-infected cells and tumor cells. NK cell phenotype and function is affected with age and cytomegalovirus (CMV) latent infection. Aging affects the frequency and phenotype of NK cells, and CMV infection also contributes to these alterations. Thus, a reduction of CD56brightNK cell subpopulation associated with age and an expansion of memory-like NK cells CD56dimCD57+NKG2C+probably related to CMV seropositivity have been described. NK cells express T-bet and Eomes transcription factors that are necessary for the development of NK cells. Here, we analyze the effect of age and CMV seropositivity on the expression of CD300a and CD161 inhibitory receptors, and T-bet and Eomes transcription factors in NK cell subsets defined by the expression of CD56 and CD57. CD300a is expressed by the majority of NK cells. CD56brightNK cells express higher levels of CD300a than CD56dimNK cells. An increase in the expression of CD300a was associated with age, whereas a decreased expression of CD161 in CD56dimNK cells was associated with CMV seropositivity. In CD56dimNK cells, an increased percentage of CD57+CD300a+and a reduction in the percentage of CD161+CD300a+cells were found to be associated with CMV seropositivity. Regarding T-bet and Eomes transcription factors, CMV seropositivity was associated with a decrease of T-bethiin CD56dimCD57+NK cells from young individuals, whereas Eomes expression was increased with CMV seropositivity in both CD56brightand CD56dimCD57+/-(from middle age and young individuals, respectively) and was decreased with aging in all NK subsets from the three group of age. In conclusion, CMV infection and age induce significant changes in the expression of CD300a and CD161 in NK cell subsets defined by the expression of CD56 and CD57. T-bet and Eomes are differentially expressed on NK cell subsets, and their expression is affected by CMV latent infection and aging.
authors.affiliation: Maimonides Biomedicine Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia Hospital, University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain.
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lopez-Sejas
authors.affiliation: Maimonides Biomedicine Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia Hospital, University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Maimonides Biomedicine Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia Hospital, University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain.
authors.forename: Fakhri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hassouneh
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Department of Physiology, University of Extremadura , Cáceres , Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Correa
authors.affiliation: Immunology Unit, Department of Physiology, University of Extremadura , Cáceres , Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarazona
authors.affiliation: Maimonides Biomedicine Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia Hospital, University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pera
authors.affiliation: Maimonides Biomedicine Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC), Reina Sofia Hospital, University of Cordoba , Cordoba , Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solana
keywords: CD161; CD300a; CD57; CMV; Eomes; NK cell subsets; T-bet; aging