Of interest is the observation that aging is associated with an enhanced level of memoryTcells, suggesting that the qualitative Tcell response differs in the elderly.
Further, differences in the proportion of memory to naive Tcells may be responsible for immune dysfunction and autoimmunity associated with the aging process.
Lee, W.T., Pradmanabhan, J. and Cole-Calkins, J. (1997) MemoryTcell tolerance to superantigens is not due to increased susceptibility to apoptosis.
Naive and Memory T cells inPeripheral Blood Reflect Levels inLymphoid Tissue(Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-16)
The naïve:memory ratio was positively correlated with CD4 cell counts and the patients with higher naïve:memory ratios had "more robust responses to CMV antigen." Furthermore, the viral load was several-fold higher in the lymph node compartment than in the blood, and inversely correlated with the naïve:memory ratio in both compartments.
Although the distribution pattern of Tcells and their subsets differed in the lymph node and plasma compartments, the "plasma values were reflective of events in the lymph node tissue.
Homeostasis of Naïve and MemoryTCell Subpopulations in Peripheral Blood and Lymphoid Tissues in the Context of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.
This may be because resting memoryTcells are more susceptible to infection by R5 HIV-1 than by X4 HIV-1.
The resistance of resting memoryTcells to infection with X4 HIV-1 maps to gp120, suggesting that CCR5 expressed on resting cells plays a role in determining susceptibility to infection.
The absolute number of RSV-specific Tcells was determined by multiplying the percentage of tetramer-binding CD8+ Tcells among total live cells as determined by a live gate in combination with microscopic cell counting.
Tcells in the spleen than in lung or lymph nodes (4).
Ostler, T., Hussell, T., Surh, C. D., Openshaw, P. and Ehl, S. Long-term persistence and reactivation of Tcellmemory in the lung of mice infected with respiratory syncytial virus.