Journal of Clinical and Cellular Immunology
Open Access

Abstract

Bcl-2-expression in Dys-regulated Distribution of T and B Lymphocytes in Aged Mice

Yongxin Zhang, Monica Zhang, Ying Wang, Lin Liu, Carolyn Sweeney, Lifang Tian and Innocent N Mbawuike

The expression of Bcl-2 in peripheral blood lymphocytes in aged mice was assessed using flow cytometry and compared with young mice. The results showed that the frequencies of CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells and the frequencies of CD3⁺, CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells expressing Bcl-2 were decreased in aged mice. Bcl-2 expression in T cells was positively correlated with frequencies of each sub-population of T cells but negatively correlated with age (old and young). In contrast, the frequencies of B cells (CD19⁺) and Bcl-2⁺ B cells in total lymphocytes as well as Bcl-2 positive rate in CD19⁺ B cells were all increased in old mice. The mouse age, CD19⁺ cell frequency and Bcl-2⁺ B cell frequency were positively correlated each other. These results suggest that Bcl-2 expression on T and B cells could play an important role in the regulation of T and B cells by inhibiting apoptosis during aging.