Numbers and odds: TCR repertoire size and its age changes impacting on T cell functions

Semin Immunol. 2023 Jul 27;69:101810. doi: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101810. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTA vast array of αβ T cell receptors (TCRs) is generated during T cell development in the thymus through V(D)J recombination, which involves the rearrangement of multiple V, D, and J genes and the pairing of α and β chains. These diverse TCRs provide protection to the human body against a multitude of foreign pathogens and internal cancer cells. The entirety of TCRs present in an individual's T cells is referred to as the TCR repertoire. Despite an estimated 4 × 1011 T cells in the adult human body, the lower bound estimate for the TCR repertoire is 3.8 × 108. While the number of circulating T cells may slightly decrease with age, the changes in the diversity of the TCR repertoire is more apparent. Here, I review recent advancements in TCR repertoire studies, the methods used to measure it, how richness and diversity change as humans age, and some of the known consequences associated with these changes.PMID:37515916 | DOI:10.1016/j.smim.2023.101810

Source: Seminars in Immunology - July 29, 2023 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Nan-Ping Weng Source Type: research