Telomere length and telomerase activity in T cells are biomarkers of high-performing centenarians.

ABSTRACT: It is generally recognized that the function of the immune system declines with increased age and one of the major immune changes is impaired T-cell responses upon antigen presentation/stimulation. Some "high-performing" centenarians (100+ years old) are remarkably successful in escaping, or largely postponing, major age-related diseases. However, the majority of centenarians ("low-performing") have experienced these pathologies and are forced to reside in long-term nursing facilities. Previous studies have pooled all centenarians examining heterogeneous populations of resting/unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). T cells represent around 60% of PBMC and are in a quiescence state when unstimulated. However, upon stimulation, T cells rapidly divide and exhibit dramatic ch

SUBMITTER: Tedone E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6351827 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature