Ophthalmology. 2013 Nov;120(11):2310-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2013.04.014. Epub 2013 Jun 6.
Age-related Macular Degeneration Is Associated with Increased Proportion of CD56(+) T Cells in Peripheral Blood.
Faber C, Singh A, Krüger Falk M, Juel HB, Sørensen TL, Nissen MH.
Source
University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: carstenfaber@gmail.com.
Abstract
PURPOSE:
To examine the association between age-related changes in the T-cell compartment and prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
DESIGN:
Case-control study.
PARTICIPANTS:
A total of 117 AMD cases and 106 controls were included prospectively.
METHODS:
Fresh-drawn peripheral blood samples were processed for flow cytometric analysis of T-cell populations. Plasma samples were analyzed for anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin (Ig)G and complement factor H (CFH) Y402H genotype. The diagnosis of AMD was made according to the Clinical Age-Related Maculopathy Staging System.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Association between frequency of aged T cells and prevalence of AMD.
RESULTS:
The prevalence of AMD was associated with distinct age-related changes in the T-cell compartment. Specifically, the patients with AMD had an increased frequency of CD28(-) T cells that expressed the CD56 surface marker (patients, 34.9% vs. aged controls, 25.8%; P = 0.002). Participants in the highest tertile of CD56(+) CD28(-) T cells had an odds ratio (OR) for the presence of AMD of 3.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-8.8) after adjustment for CFH genotype, anti-CMV IgG positivity, age, sex, and smoking history. The adjusted OR of the presence of AMD for persons having at least 1 CFH H402 risk allele increased from 3.5 (95% CI, 1.5-8.1) to 13.3 (95% CI, 3.3-53.6) for persons with at least 1 CFH H402 risk allele and above the median level of CD56(+) CD28(-) T cells.
CONCLUSIONS:
We found increased levels of circulating aged CD56(+) CD28(-) T cells in patients with AMD. Although this supports the notion of AMD as a systemic disease, it also suggests that the adaptive immune system is implicated in its pathogenesis.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S):
The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PMID:
23747161
[PubMed – in process]
