Longterm maintenance of human naive T cells through in situ homeostasis in lymphoid tissue sites.

ABSTRACT: Naïve T cells develop in the thymus and coordinate immune responses to new antigens; however, mechanisms for their long-term persistence over the human lifespan remain undefined. Here, we investigated human naïve T cell development and maintenance in primary and secondary lymphoid tissues obtained from individual organ donors aged 3 months-73 years. In the thymus, the frequency of double-positive thymocytes declined sharply in donors over age 40 coincident with reduced recent thymic emigrants (RTE) in lymphoid tissues, while naïve T cells were functionally maintained predominantly in lymph nodes (LN). Analysis of TCR clonal distribution by CDR3 sequencing of naïve CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in spleen and LNs reveal site-specific clonal expansions of naïve T cells from indi

SUBMITTER: Thome JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5367636 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature