Age- and Sex-Related Changes of the Lymphocyte Subsets in Healthy Individuals: An Analysis by Two-Dimensional Flow Cytometry
- 1 March 1989
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Journal of Gerontology
- Vol. 44 (2) , M51-M56
- https://doi.org/10.1093/geronj/44.2.m51
Abstract
The relative and absolute numbers of the peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) subpopulations from 156 healthy men and women of different ages (20–99 years old) were studied by the use of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) and twodimensional flow cytometry. The percentage of pan-T MoAb-positive cells decreased with age, which was attributable to a relative decline in the CD8+ suppressor!Cytotoxic T cells, more precisely in the CD8+ CD11− cytotoxic T cells. Those of CD4+ Leu-8− helper T cells, CD3+ HLA-DR+-activated T cells, and natural killer subsets (Leu-7*, CD16+, Leu-7* CD16+ or Leu-7+ CD16−) increased with age. The absolute numbers of most of the lymphocyte subsets examined declined with age except that those of natural killer cell subsets and helper T cells remained unchanged. It should be noted that the PBL subsets differed markedly according to age and sex, the changes being more evident among women.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
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