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Tuberculosis in aged gammadelta T cell gene disrupted mice
J Turner1, A A Frank, J V Brooks
1Department of Microbiology, Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. jturner@cvmbs.colostate.edu
Experimental Gerontology
|February 28, 2001
Summary
Gammadelta T cells are crucial for early tuberculosis responses in young mice. However, their importance diminishes significantly in aged mice, with similar outcomes observed in knockout and wild-type controls.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Aging Research
Background:
- Gammadelta T cells play a role in host resistance and granulomatous responses during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in young mice.
- Targeted gene disruption of gammadelta T cells affects early immune responses but not overall host resistance in young models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of gammadelta T cells in aged mice during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
- To compare the immune response in aged gammadelta T cell gene-disrupted mice versus aged wild-type control mice.
Main Methods:
- Aerosol infection model with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
- Gene disruption to remove gammadelta T cell population.
- Analysis of immunopathologic changes and cell surface marker expression in aged mice.
Main Results:
- Aged gammadelta T cell gene-disrupted mice exhibited similar immunopathologic changes compared to aged wild-type controls.
- No significant changes in cell surface marker expression were observed in aged gammadelta T cell knockout mice.
- The influence of gammadelta T cells on the granulomatous response appears to decrease with age.
Conclusions:
- Gammadelta T cell functions critical in young mice are less important in aged mice during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
- Aging impacts the immune system's reliance on specific T cell populations like gammadelta T cells.