Sparse production but preferential incorporation of recently produced naive T cells in the human peripheral pool
N Vrisekoop, I den Braber, AB de Boer… - Proceedings of the …, 2008 - pnas.org
N Vrisekoop, I den Braber, AB de Boer, AFC Ruiter, MT Ackermans, SN van der Crabben…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2008•pnas.orgIn mice, recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) make up a large part of the naïve T cell pool and
have been suggested to be a distinct short-lived pool. In humans, however, the life span and
number of RTEs are unknown. Although 2H2O labeling in young mice showed high thymic-
dependent daily naïve T cell production, long term up-and down-labeling with 2H2O in
human adults revealed a low daily production of naïve T cells. Using mathematical
modeling, we estimated human naïve CD4 and CD8 T cell half-lives of 4.2 and 6.5 years …
have been suggested to be a distinct short-lived pool. In humans, however, the life span and
number of RTEs are unknown. Although 2H2O labeling in young mice showed high thymic-
dependent daily naïve T cell production, long term up-and down-labeling with 2H2O in
human adults revealed a low daily production of naïve T cells. Using mathematical
modeling, we estimated human naïve CD4 and CD8 T cell half-lives of 4.2 and 6.5 years …
In mice, recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) make up a large part of the naïve T cell pool and have been suggested to be a distinct short-lived pool. In humans, however, the life span and number of RTEs are unknown. Although 2H2O labeling in young mice showed high thymic-dependent daily naïve T cell production, long term up- and down-labeling with 2H2O in human adults revealed a low daily production of naïve T cells. Using mathematical modeling, we estimated human naïve CD4 and CD8 T cell half-lives of 4.2 and 6.5 years, respectively, whereas memory CD4 and CD8 T cells had half-lives of 0.4 and 0.7 year. The estimated half-life of recently produced naïve T cells was much longer than these average half-lives. Thus, our data are incompatible with a substantial short-lived RTE population in human adults and suggest that the few naïve T cells that are newly produced are preferentially incorporated in the peripheral pool.
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