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Simultaneous Quantification of T-Cell Receptor Excision Circles TRECs and K-Deleting Recombination Excision Circles KRECs by Real-time PCR
Published on: December 6, 2014
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Quantification of T-Cell Receptor Excision Circles (TRECs)
Keittisak Suwan1, Maria Teresa Cencioni2
1Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|September 30, 2024
Summary
Aging impairs immune function, leading to thymus involution and reduced T-cell production. This study details methods for quantifying T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) to assess thymus function in aging.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Aging Research
- Cellular Biology
Background:
- Aging naturally compromises immune system function, increasing susceptibility to diseases.
- Thymus involution, a hallmark of aging, involves structural changes and reduced naive T-cell output.
- Thymic atrophy is linked to various disorders, including autoimmune diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the methodology for quantifying T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs).
- To assess thymic function in the context of aging and disease.
Main Methods:
- Quantification of TRECs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).
- Analysis of TRECs in isolated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
- Standardized molecular procedures for TREC measurement.
Main Results:
- The chapter outlines established protocols for TREC quantification.
- Methodology is presented for analyzing TRECs in specific T-cell subsets.
Conclusions:
- Accurate TREC quantification is crucial for evaluating thymic function.
- The described methods enable robust assessment of T-cell output in aging and disease states.
