Skin T cells maintain their diversity and functionality in the elderly
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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 language | English |
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Article number | 13 |
Journal | Communications Biology |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 1 |
ISSN | 2399-3642 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
- Aging/immunology, Cell Proliferation, Cytokines/metabolism, Humans, Japan, Skin/immunology, Sweden, T-Lymphocytes/physiology
Research areas
ID: 312711676