Tissue-resident CD8⁺ T cells drive age-associated chronic lung sequelae after viral pneumonia.

ABSTRACT: Lower respiratory viral infections, such as influenza virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections, often cause severe viral pneumonia in aged individuals. Here, we report that influenza viral pneumonia leads to chronic nonresolving lung pathology and exacerbated accumulation of CD8⁺ tissue-resident memory T cells (T_RM) in the respiratory tract of aged hosts. T_RM cell accumulation relies on elevated TGF-β present in aged tissues. Further, we show that T_RM cells isolated from aged lungs lack a subpopulation characterized by expression of molecules involved in TCR signaling and effector function. Consequently, T_RM cells from aged lungs were insufficient to provide heterologous protective immunity. The depletion of

SUBMITTER: Goplen NP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7970412 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature