IBA Publikation

Elsevier

Abstract:
Highly differentiated CD28‐ effector T cells which accumulate in a variety of diseases and also with increasing age contribute to inflammatory processes, limit immunological space and diversity, and are associated with immunological dysfunction and reduced responses tovaccination. Elimination of CD28‐ T cells has been suggested as a measure for immunological rejuvenation but may lead to the loss of important T cell specificities. Using T cells specific for the immunodominant CMV‐derived epitope NLVPMVATV as a model, we show that the same clonotypes are present in CD8+CD28+ naïve/early memory and CD8+CD28‐ effector T cells. Therefore, CD28‐ cells do not seem to contain clones which are not present in the residual population. The elimination of effector T cells would not lead to the loss of important specificities, as relevant clonotypes could be recruited and propagated from naïve or early memory T cell subsets in the case of exposure to pathogen.