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Age‐dependent changes in T cell homeostasis and SIV load in sooty mangabeys
Author(s) -
Chakrabarti Lisa A.,
Lewin Sharon R.,
Zhang Linqi,
Gettie Agegnehu,
Luckay Amara,
Martin Louis N.,
Skulsky Eva,
Ho David D.,
ChengMayer Cecilia,
Marx Preston A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of medical primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1600-0684
pISSN - 0047-2565
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0684.2000.290309.x
Subject(s) - biology , simian immunodeficiency virus , peripheral , viral load , t cell , cell , immunology , receptor , homeostasis , peripheral blood , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , virus , immune system , medicine , genetics
Sooty mangabeys ( Cercocebus atys ) showed age‐dependent changes in T cell regeneration. Younger animals had a high percentage of CD4+ CD45RA+ T cells and a high concentration of T cell receptor excisional circles (TRECs) in peripheral blood, which indicated active thymopoiesis. In contrast, older animals had an increased T cell turnover, which suggested that most T cell production occurred in the periphery. In addition, the number of peripheral CD4+ T cells naturally decreased with age. Non‐pathogenic SIVsm infection did not significantly change the T cell proliferation rate or the TREC concentration, though it did cause a moderate loss of peripheral CD4+ T cells. The viral load correlated negatively with age, which could be accounted for by the reduced availability of CD4+ target cells in older mangabeys. Thus, the number of susceptible target cells may be a limiting factor in natural SIV infection.