Age-related distribution and dynamics of T-cells in blood and lymphoid tissues of goats

• Published in: Developmental and comparative immunology 2019-04, Vol.93, p.1-10
• Main Authors: Baliu-Piqué, Mariona, Kurniawan, Henry, Ravesloot, Lars, Verheij, Myrddin W., Drylewicz, Julia, Lievaart-Peterson, Karianne, Borghans, José A.M., Koets, Ad, Tesselaar, Kiki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Age composition; Animals; Birth; Blood; Bone marrow; Caprinae; CD4 antigen; CD8 antigen; Dairy industry; Deuterium; Development; Goat; Goats; Immune system; Labeling; Lymph nodes; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Lymphoid tissue; Mathematical modelling; Neonatal adaptive immunity; Neonates; Paratuberculosis; Spleen; Stable isotope labelling; T-cell turnover; T-lymphocytes; Thymus; Vaccines
• ISSN: 0145-305X; 1879-0089
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.12.004

Neonatal mammals have increased disease susceptibility and sub-optimal vaccine responses. This raises problems in both humans and farm animals. The high prevalence of paratuberculosis in goats and the lack of an effective vaccine against it have a strong impact on the dairy sector, and calls for vaccines optimized for the neonatal immune system. We characterized the composition of the T-cell pool in neonatal kids and adult goats and quantified their turnover rates using in vivo deuterium labelling. From birth to adulthood, CD4+ T-cells were the predominant subset in the thymus and lymph nodes, while spleen and bone marrow contained mainly CD8+ lymphocytes. In blood, CD4+ T-cells were the predominant subset during the neonatal period, while CD8+ T-cells predominated in adults. We observed that thymic mass and cellularity increased during the first 5 months after birth, but decreased later in life. Deuterium labelling revealed that T-cell turnover rates in neonatal kids are considerably higher than in adult animals. •In goats he CD4/CD8 ratio in blood declines with age.•Throughout the life of a goat, CD4+ T-cells predominate in thymus and LN, while CD8+ T-cells predominate in spleen and BM.•Total leukocytes in thymus and bone marrow decrease, while they increase in lymph node and spleen from neonates to adults.•Thymic involution in goats does not occur during the first 5 months after birth, but becomes significant later in life.•T-cells in neonates have faster turnover rates than in adult goats.