Lymph node and circulating T cell characteristics are strongly correlated in end‐stage renal disease patients, but highly differentiated T cells reside within the circulation. (28th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dedeoglu, B.; de Weerd, A. E.; Huang, L.; Langerak, A. W.; Dor, F. J.; Klepper, M.; Verschoor, W.; Reijerkerk, D.; Baan, C. C.; Litjens, N. H. R.; Betjes, M. G. H.
• Is Part Of: Clinical and experimental immunology. Volume 188:Number 2(2017:May)
• Page Start: 299
• Page End: 310
• Publication Date: 2017-02-28
• Subjects: ageing -- end‐stage renal disease -- lymph node -- peripheral blood -- T cells; Immunopathology -- Periodicals; 616.079
• DOI: 10.1111/cei.12934
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-9104

Abstract

Summary: Ageing is associated with changes in the peripheral T cell immune system, which can be influenced significantly by latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. To what extent changes in circulating T cell populations correlate with T cell composition of the lymph node (LN) is unclear, but is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the T cell system. T cells from peripheral blood (PB) and LN of end‐stage renal disease patients were analysed for frequency of recent thymic emigrants using CD31 expression and T cell receptor excision circle content, relative telomere length and expression of differentiation markers. Compared with PB, LN contained relatively more CD4 + than CD8 + T cells ( P < 0·001). The percentage of naive and central memory CD4 + and CD8 + T cells and thymic output parameters showed a strong linear correlation between PB and LN. Highly differentiated CD28 null T cells, being CD27 –, CD57 + or programmed death 1 (PD‐1 + ), were found almost exclusively in the circulation but not in LN. An age‐related decline in naive CD4 + and CD8 + T cell frequency was observed ( P = 0·035 and P = 0·002, respectively) within LN, concomitant with an increase in central memory CD8 + T cells ( P = 0·033). Latent CMV infection increased dramatically the frequency of circulating terminally differentiated T cells, but did not alter T cell composition and ageing parameters of LN significantly. Overall T cell composition and measures of thymic function in PB and LN are correlated strongly. However, highly differentiated CD28 null T cells, which may comprise a large part of circulating T cells in CMV‐seropositive individuals, are found almost exclusively within the circulation. Abstract : "Overall T‐cell composition in PB and LN of are strongly correlated. However, highly differentiated T cells are almost exclusively found within the circulation."