Immunomodulatory role of high-density lipoproteins: impact on immunosenescence

Age (Dordr). 2014;36(5):9712. doi: 10.1007/s11357-014-9712-6. Epub 2014 Sep 13.

Abstract

Natural aging is accompanied by a dysregulation of the host immune response that has well-known clinical consequences but poorly defined underlying causes. It has previously been reported that advancing age is associated with an increase in membrane cholesterol level in T cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether high-density lipoprotein (HDL) can modulate the age-related accumulation of membrane cholesterol in T cells and impact on their subsequent responsiveness. Our data reveal that cholesterol metabolism, influx, and efflux are altered in T cells with aging, which may in part explain the increase in membrane cholesterol level observed in T cells in elderly individuals. HDL was unable to promote reverse cholesterol transport in T cells from elderly subjects with the same efficiency as was observed in T cells from young subjects besides unchanged ABCA-1 and SR-BI expressions. HDL exhibited a short-acting co-stimulatory effect by enhancing T cell production of interleukin-2 (IL-2). Moreover, HDL from healthy normolipemic individuals exerted differential effects on T cell proliferation that depended on the age of the HDL donor. Finally, HDL modulated TCR/CD28 activation by inducing sustained signaling through pLck, pERK, and pAkt. These data suggest that HDL has immunomodulatory effects on T cells that are influenced by age.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aging / immunology*
  • Aging / metabolism
  • Biological Transport
  • Blotting, Western
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / physiology*
  • Immunomodulation / physiology*
  • Lipid Metabolism*
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Phenotype
  • Receptors, Immunologic / metabolism*
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Lipoproteins, HDL
  • Receptors, Immunologic