IL‐15 preferentially enhances functional properties and antigen‐specific responses of CD4+CD28null compared to CD4+CD28+ T cells

Aging Cell

Rebeca Alonso-Arias³  Marco A. Moro-García³  José R. Vidal-Castiñeira³  Juan J. Solano-Jaurrieta¹  Francisco M. Suárez-García²  Eliecer Coto⁴ 

[1] Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Department, Hospital Monte Naranco, Oviedo, Spain;Consejería de Salud y Servicios Sanitarios del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain;Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain;Genética Molecular, Hospital Universitario Central Asturias, Oviedo, Spain

关键词: CD4+CD28null T cells;    chronic viral antigens;    cytotoxicity;    IL‐15;    Immunosenescence;    memory T cells;   

DOI  :  10.1111/j.1474-9726.2011.00725.x

来源: Wiley

【 摘 要 】

Summary

One of the most prominent changes during T-cell aging in humans is the accumulation of CD28^null T cells, mainly CD8+ and also CD4+ T cells. Enhancing the functional properties of these cells may be important as they provide an antigen-specific defense against chronic infections. Recent studies have shown that IL-15 does in fact play an appreciable role in CD4 memory T cells under physiological conditions. We found that treatment with IL-15 increased the frequency of elderly CD4+CD28^null T cells by the preferential proliferation of these cells compared to CD4+CD28+ T cells. IL-15 induced an activated phenotype in CD4+CD28^null T cells. Although the surface expression of IL-15R α-chain was not increased, the transcription factor STAT-5 was preferentially activated. IL-15 augmented the cytotoxic properties of CD4+CD28^null T cells by increasing both the mRNA transcription and storage of granzyme B and perforin for the cytolytic effector functions. Moreover, pretreatment of CD4+CD28^null T cells with IL-15 displayed a synergistic effect on the IFN-γ production in CMV-specific responses, which was not observed in CD4+CD28+ T cells. IL-15 could play a role enhancing the effector response of CD4+CD28^null T cells against their specific chronic antigens.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
© 2011 The Authors. Aging Cell © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland