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Influenza A Virus‐Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Activity Declines with Advancing Age
Author(s) -
Powers Douglas C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1993.tb05938.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ctl* , cytotoxic t cell , virus , immunology , orthomyxoviridae , vaccination , virology , influenza vaccine , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , antigen , influenza a virus , cd8 , in vitro , biology , biochemistry
Objective: To investigate whether influenza A‐specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity is reduced in elderly compared with younger adults. Design: Case series comparing outcomes in young and elderly cohorts. Setting: Saint Louis University Division of Geriatric Medicine. Participants: Healthy adult outpatients and staff members aged <50 (young) or >65 (elderly) years. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were assayed for CTL activity by a 51 chromium release assay following 1 week of in vitro stimulation with influenza A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) virus. Measurements: Percent specific lysis of autologous and allogeneic influenza virus‐infected target cells. Main Results: Specific lysis of autologous A/PR‐infected targets was significantly lower in elderly compared to young subjects ( P < 0.01), and exceeded 10% in a significantly lower proportion of elderly compared with younger subjects ( P < 0.05), but was not influenced by a history of vaccination within the preceding 12 months. Cytotoxic effectors were class I human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐restricted and displayed heterosubtypic cross‐reactivity but were unable to lyse influenza B‐infected targets. Conclusions: These results demonstrate an age‐related decline of influenza A virus‐specific CTL activity and suggest that CTL responses to inactivated virus vaccine are of short duration.