In vitro senescence models for human T lymphocytes

Immunosenescence is an age-associated dysregulation of immune function whic h may contribute to the increased susceptibility of the elderly to infectio us disease. Although age-associated changes are measurable in the innate im mune system, it is the adaptive arm of the immune system which is particula rly susceptible to the deleterious effects of ageing, especially the T cell compartment. In this review. the characteristics of longitudinal ageing in cultured monoclonal human T cell populations will be summarized. It will b e argued that parallels between this in vitro model and T cell senescence i n vivo suggest the use of such models to screen for interventions ameliorat ing immunosenescence in vivo. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights res erved.