Terminally exhausted CD8⁺ T cells contribute to age-dependent severity of respiratory virus infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Lower respiratory infections are a leading cause of severe morbidity and mortality among older adults. Despite ubiquitous exposure to common respiratory pathogens throughout life and near universal seropositivity, antibodies fail to effectively protect the elderly. Therefore, we hypothesized that severe respiratory illness in the elderly is due to deficient CD8⁺ T cell responses.

Results

Here, we establish an aged mouse model of human metapneumovirus infection (HMPV) wherein aged C57BL/6 mice exhibit worsened weight loss, clinical disease, lung pathology and delayed viral clearance compared to young adult mice. Aged mice generate fewer lung-infiltrating HMPV epitope-specific CD8⁺ T cells. Those that do expand demonstrate higher expression of

SUBMITTER: Parks OB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10391960 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature