Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells Restricted by HLA-Cw*0702 Increase Markedly with Age and Dominate the CD8⁺ T-Cell Repertoire in Older People.

ABSTRACT: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection elicits a strong T-cell immune response, which increases further during aging in a process termed "memory inflation." CMV downregulates the expression of HLA-A and HLA-B on the surface of infected cells to limit presentation of viral peptides to T-cells although HLA-C is relatively spared as it also engages with inhibitory killer immunoglobulin receptor receptors and therefore reduces lysis by natural killer cells. We investigated the magnitude and functional properties of CMV-specific CD8⁺ T-cells specific for 10 peptides restricted by HLA-C in a cohort of 53 donors between the age of 23 and 91 years. This was achieved via peptide stimulation of PBMCs followed by multicolor flow cytometry. Three peptides, derived from proteins generated in

SUBMITTER: Hosie L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5732243 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature