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Published on: December 7, 2015
Sex-specific phenotypical and functional differences in peripheral human Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cells
Nadia Caccamo1, Francesco Dieli, Daniela Wesch
1Dipartimento di Biopatologia e Metodologie Biomediche, Università di Palermo, Italy.
Journal of Leukocyte Biology
|February 8, 2006
Summary
Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cells, important for immunity, decline in men after age 30, unlike in women. This age-related change in T cell subsets impacts immune responses and cell populations.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cells are a distinct T cell population in human peripheral blood.
- These cells play a role in immune responses against microbial pathogens.
- Their numbers exhibit characteristic age-dependent changes and sex-based differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the age- and sex-related dynamics of Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cells in human peripheral blood.
- To characterize the phenotypic changes in Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cell subsets in adult men and women.
- To explore the functional consequences of these phenotypical alterations.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cell populations in peripheral blood from adult donors.
- Flow cytometry was used to assess T cell subsets (CD27, CD45RA).
- In vitro stimulation assays with isopentenyl pyrophosphate to measure proliferative response and interferon-gamma secretion.
Main Results:
- Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cell numbers increase from birth to puberty and decline after age 30.
- Adult men show significantly lower levels than women, with a distinct shift in T cell subsets.
- Men exhibit a decrease in effector T cells and an increase in central memory T cells, alongside altered in vitro responses.
Conclusions:
- Significant age- and sex-dependent alterations occur in Vgamma9/Vdelta2 T cell populations.
- These changes in men involve a shift towards a memory phenotype and altered cellular function.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for comprehending age-related immune changes and sex differences in immunity.
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