Abstract
Studies of CD8 T cell responses to vaccination or infection with various pathogens in both animal models and human subjects have revealed a markedly consistent array of age-related defects. In general, recent work shows that aged CD8 T cell responses are decreased in magnitude, and show poor differentiation into effector cells, with a reduced arsenal of effector functions. Here we review potential mechanisms underlying these defects. We specifically address phenotypic and numeric changes to the naïve CD8 T cell precursor pool, the impact of persistent viral infection(s) and inflammation, and contributions of the aging environment in which these cells are activated.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 356-364 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Seminars in Immunology |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2012 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We wish to thank the past and present members of the Nikolich laboratory for support and helpful discussions. Supported by NIH awards AG020719 , AG035309 , AI081680 and N01 AI 00017 .
Keywords
- Aging
- CD8 T cells
- Homeostasis
- Immunity
- Infection