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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Isolation of Adipose Tissue Immune Cells
Published on: May 22, 2013
Alterations in T-cell subset frequency in peripheral blood in obesity
Robert W O'Rourke1, Thomas Kay, Mark H Scholz
1Department of Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. orourkro@ohsu.edu
Background:
Obesity affects the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. This study characterizes differences in peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotype in obese humans.
Methods:
Frequencies of lymphocyte subsets among peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared between 10 obese (BMI > or = 35) and 10 lean subjects, as determined by antibodies directed against cluster differentiation (CD) markers.
Results:
Obese patients demonstrated an increased frequency of CD3+CD4+ T-cells (mean difference 12%, P=0.004), a decreased frequency of CD3+CD8+ T-cells (mean difference 9.4%, P=0.016) and an increased frequency of CD3+CD8+CD95+ T-cells (mean difference 13.3%, P=0.032). No other differences among T-cell or monocyte subsets were noted.
Conclusions:
Obesity is associated with alterations in frequencies of peripheral CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells and aberrations in the expression of CD95 among CD8+ T-cells. These data suggest both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell compartments, as well as the regulation of CD95 expression on CD8+ T-cells, as targets for further study into obesity's effects on the immune system.
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