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Low Thymic Activity and Dendritic Cell Numbers Are Associated with the Immune Response to Primary Viral Infection in Elderly Humans.
- Source :
-
Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950) [J Immunol] 2015 Nov 15; Vol. 195 (10), pp. 4699-711. Date of Electronic Publication: 2015 Oct 12. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Immunological competence declines progressively with age, resulting in increased susceptibility of the elderly to infection and impaired responses to vaccines. Underlying mechanisms remain largely obscure as they have been related to complex, individual systemic immune properties that are challenging to investigate. In this study, we explored age-related changes in human immunity during a primary virus infection experimentally induced by immunization with live-attenuated yellow fever (YF) vaccine. Applying detailed serology, advanced FACS analysis, and systems biology, we discovered that aged subjects developed fewer neutralizing Abs, mounted diminished YF-specific CD8(+) T cell responses, and showed quantitatively and qualitatively altered YF-specific CD4(+) T cell immunity. Among numerous immune signatures, low in vivo numbers of naive CD4(+) recent thymic emigrants and peripheral dendritic cells correlated well with reduced acute responsiveness and altered long-term persistence of human cellular immunity to YF vaccination. Hence, we reveal in this article that essential elements of immune responses such as recent thymic emigrants and dendritic cells strongly relate to productive immunity in the elderly, providing a conceivable explanation for diminished responsiveness to vaccination with neoantigens and infection with de novo pathogens in the aged population.<br /> (Copyright © 2015 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)
- Subjects :
- Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Antibodies, Neutralizing blood
Antibodies, Neutralizing immunology
Antibodies, Viral immunology
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes immunology
Cell Count
Dendritic Cells cytology
Female
Humans
Immunocompetence immunology
Immunocompetence physiology
Immunoglobulin G blood
Lymphocyte Count
Male
Middle Aged
Vaccination
Vaccines, Attenuated immunology
Viremia immunology
Young Adult
Aging immunology
Antibodies, Viral blood
Dendritic Cells immunology
Thymus Gland immunology
Yellow Fever Vaccine immunology
Yellow fever virus immunology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1550-6606
- Volume :
- 195
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 26459351
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1500598