Skin T cells maintain their diversity and functionality in the elderly

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Hanako Koguchi-Yoshioka
  • Elena Hoffer
  • Stanley Cheuk
  • Yutaka Matsumura
  • Sa Vo
  • Petra Kjellman
  • Lucian Grema
  • Yosuke Ishitsuka
  • Yoshiyuki Nakamura
  • Naoko Okiyama
  • Yasuhiro Fujisawa
  • Manabu Fujimoto
  • Eidsmo, Liv
  • Rachael A Clark
  • Rei Watanabe

Recent studies have highlighted that human resident memory T cells (TRM) are functionally distinct from circulating T cells. Thus, it can be postulated that skin T cells age differently from blood-circulating T cells. We assessed T-cell density, diversity, and function in individuals of various ages to study the immunologic effects of aging on human skin from two different countries. No decline in the density of T cells was noted with advancing age, and the frequency of epidermal CD49a+ CD8 TRM was increased in elderly individuals regardless of ethnicity. T-cell diversity and antipathogen responses were maintained in the skin of elderly individuals but declined in the blood. Our findings demonstrate that in elderly individuals, skin T cells maintain their density, diversity, and protective cytokine production despite the reduced T-cell diversity and function in blood. Skin resident T cells may represent a long-lived, highly protective reservoir of immunity in elderly people.

Original languageEnglish
Article number13
JournalCommunications Biology
Volume4
Issue number1
ISSN2399-3642
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

    Research areas

  • Aging/immunology, Cell Proliferation, Cytokines/metabolism, Humans, Japan, Skin/immunology, Sweden, T-Lymphocytes/physiology

ID: 312711676