Abstract
Age-related immune deficiencies increase the risk of comorbidities and mortality. This study evaluated immunosenescence patterns by flow cytometry of naïve and memory T cell subpopulations and the immune risk profile (IRP), expressed as the CD4/CD8 ratio and IgG CMV related to comorbidities. The disproportions in naïve and memory T cells, as well as in the CD4/CD8 ratio, were analysed in 99 elderly individuals (71.9 ± 5.8 years) diagnosed with hypertension (n = 51) or without hypertension (n = 48), using an eight-parameter flow cytometer. The percentage of CD4+ T lymphocytes was significantly higher in hypertensive than other individuals independently from CMV infections, with approximately 34% having CD4/CD8 > 2.5, and only 4% of the elderly with hypertension having CD4/CD8 < 1. The elderly with a normal BMI demonstrated the CD4/CD8 ratio ≥ 1 or ≤ 2.5, while overweight and obese participants showed a tendency to an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio. CD4/CD8 ratio increased gradually with age and reached the highest values in participants aged >75 years. The decline in CD4+ naïve T lymphocytes was more prominent in IgG CMV+ men when compared to IgG CMV+ women. The changes in naïve and memory T lymphocyte population, CD4/CD8, and CMV seropositivity included in IRP are important markers of health status in the elderly that are dependent on hypertension.
Highlights
Academic Editor: Karol KaminskiAge-related changes in the immune system have been studied extensively over the past years, differences between immune cells in the young and the elderly are not yet entirely clear [1]
In participants diagnosed with hypertension, more than 50% had higher value of fat mass (FM)%, which can emphasize the role of adipose tissue in the development of hypertension and metabolic syndrome
Our research showed that the IgG CMV+ elderly diagnosed with hypertension achieved higher values of CD4+ T cells when compared to the controls, which may indicate that the increase in
Summary
Academic Editor: Karol KaminskiAge-related changes in the immune system have been studied extensively over the past years, differences between immune cells in the young and the elderly are not yet entirely clear [1]. Loss of lymphoid tissue and impairment of the immune system are observed with age These changes are commonly referred to as immunosenescence, and are associated with the increased susceptibility to a number of diseases, including cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, as well as an impaired response to vaccination [2]. One of the most important age-related changes in the adaptive immune system is the involution of the thymus, the sole organ responsible for the production of T lymphocytes [3]. Androgens polarize naïve CD4+ T lymphocytes towards the Th1 subset, contrary to estrogens that stimulate the Th2 response and activate the production of antibodies [7]. A decrease in the levels of androgens and estrogens contributes to thymic involution, reducing the number of naïve T lymphocytes [8]. Many studies related to immunosenescence have been conducted in the last decade, and three prospective studies have assessed the immune risk profile
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