Markers of terminally differentiated T-cells as predictors of vascular health in renal transplant recipients and healthy adults

Silvia Lee; HuiJun Chih; Jacquita Affandi; Shelley Waters; Ashley Irish; Patricia Price

doi:10.1016/j.clim.2023.109760

Markers of terminally differentiated T-cells as predictors of vascular health in renal transplant recipients and healthy adults

Clin Immunol. 2023 Oct:255:109760. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109760. Epub 2023 Sep 5.

Authors

Silvia Lee¹, HuiJun Chih², Jacquita Affandi², Shelley Waters³, Ashley Irish⁴, Patricia Price³

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia; Department of Microbiology, Pathwest Laboratory Medicine, Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: silvia.lee@curtin.edu.au.
² Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Perth, Australia.
³ School of Medicine, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, Australia.
⁴ Renal Unit, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.

PMID: 37678718
DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109760

Abstract

Meta-analyses confirm a link between persistent human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections and cardiovascular disease, but the mechanisms are unclear. We assess whether proportions of T-cell populations are reliable predictors of subclinical atherosclerosis and/or reflect the burden of HCMV in healthy adults and renal transplant recipients (RTR). Samples were collected from healthy adults and RTR at baseline (T0) and after 32 (24-40) months (T1). Left carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and proportions of T-cells expressing CD57, LIR-1 or the T_EMRA phenotype increased in healthy adults and RTR. The T-cell populations correlated with levels of HCMV-reactive antibodies. Proportions of CD57⁺, LIR-1⁺ and T_EMRA CD8⁺ T-cells correlated with left and right cIMT in healthy adults. Proportions of CD57⁺ and LIR-1⁺ CD8⁺ T-cells at T0 predicted left cIMT at T1 among healthy adults, but these associations disappeared after adjustment for covariates. We link LIR-1⁺ and CD57⁺CD8⁺ T-cells with the progression of cIMT in healthy adults.

Keywords: Human cytomegalovirus; Terminally differentiated T-cells; Vascular health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus Infections*
Humans
Kidney Transplantation*