Alterations of T Cell Subsets Associated with Sickle Cell Trait
Sickle cell trait (SCT) has been associated with alterations in various immune-related laboratory parameters including lower circulating lymphocyte counts. To further characterize the impact of SCT on the immune system, we performed flow cytometry of monocyte and lymphocyte immune cell subsets from peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected in a large, community-based cohort of SCT-positive (n = 68) and SCT-negative (n = 959) Black adults. SCT was significantly associated with lower proportions of CD8<sup>+</sup> and CD4<sup>+</sup> T cell subsets that include senescent-like markers of repeated immune system challenges. These immune alterations could have potential implications for the susceptibility of individuals with SCT to various infectious diseases.
Authors
- Nels C. Olson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1192-9969)
- Lynette Ekunwe
- Laura M. Raffield (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7892-193X)
- Margaret F. Doyle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6769-5386)
- Paul Livermore Auer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1735-8044)
- Alexander P. Reiner
Institutions
- University of Vermont (US)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- Medical College of Wisconsin (US)
- Jackson Memorial Hospital (US)
- Fred Hutch Cancer Center (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Blood and genomics discovery.
- Published
- 2024-11-08
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.70322/bgd.2025.10001
- Primary Topic
- Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Jackson State University
- Mississippi State Department of Health
- National Institutes of Health
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities