Open AccessAge-related changes in the gene expression profile of antigen-specific mouse CD8+ T cells can be partially reversed by blockade of the BTLA/CD160 pathways during vaccination
Author(s) -
Noor Dawany,
Elizabeth M. Parzych,
Louise C. Showe,
Hildegund C. J. Ertl
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
aging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 90
ISSN - 1945-4589
DOI - 10.18632/aging.101105
Subject(s) - btla , cytotoxic t cell , cd8 , cd28 , biology , t cell , immunology , t cell receptor , antigen , blockade , t lymphocyte , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor , immune system , genetics , in vitro
We analyzed gene expression profiles of young and aged mouse CD8 + T cells specific for the nucleoprotein (NP) of influenza A/PR8/34 virus. CD8 + T cells were stimulated either by the NP antigen expressed in its native form or fused into the herpes virus (HSV)-1 glycoprotein D (gD) protein, which blocks signaling through the immunoinhibitory B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and CD160 pathways. We show that NP-specific CD8 + T cells from aged mice exhibit numerous differences in gene expression compared to NP-specific CD8 + T cells from young mice, including a significant reduction of expression in genes involved in T cell receptor (TcR) and CD28 signaling. We also show that these changes can be reversed in a sub-population (~50%) of the aged mice by a BTLA/CD160 checkpoint blockade. These results suggest that BTLA/CD160 checkpoint blockade has potential value as a vaccine additive to induce better CD8 + T cell responses in the aged.