The influence of age, race, and gender on peripheral blood mononuclear-cell subsets in healthy nonsmokers

Abstract

To investigate the influence of age, race, and gender on the cellular immune system, we determined T-cell, B-cell, monocyte, natural killer (NK)-cell, and HLA-DR+-cell subsets in 266 nonsmokers from a population-based random sample of healthy adults using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. Blacks had a lower total white blood-cell count than whites (P less than or equal to 0.0001), due primarily to a decrease in granulocytes. There was no significant difference in absolute lymphocyte count between blacks and whites. Blacks had a higher proportion of CD19+ cells (Leu 12+ B cells) and a lower proportion of CD3+ cells (OKT3+ T cells) than whites (P less than or equal to 0.01). Female sex and increasing age were independently associated with an increased percentage of CD4+ cells (OKT4A+ helper-inducer T-cell subset), resulting in a higher helper/suppressor ratio among women and older individuals (P less than or equal to 0.05). Black race and increasing age were independently associated with an increased proportion of HLA-DR+ cells (P less than or equal to 0.0001) which was not attributable to B cells or monocytes. No significant age, race, or gender effects were observed for CD14+ cells (Leu M3+ monocytes) or CD16+ cells (Leu 11A+ natural killer cells). These data demonstrate that age, race, and gender are each associated with significant differences in peripheral blood mononuclear-cell subsets. Population-based data such as these provide an important foundation for future design and interpretation of human flow cytometry data.

The Influence of Age and Sex on the Cell Counts of Peripheral Blood Leukocyte Subpopulations in Chinese Rhesus Macaques

“…In human, female had a higher frequency of CD4 + T cells but no significant gender effects were observed for CD14 + cells (18) and it was also found that the Indian adult females had significantly higher CD4 + T cell counts (28). It was the same with Chinese females who had a higher CD4 + /CD8 + T cell ratio than the males (29).…”

“…There are conflictive reports about monocytes and DCs with age. Tollerud et al (18) investigated 266 nonsmokers and found no significant age effects were observed for CD14 + cells, but Della Bella et al (19) showed an increase of circulating monocytes with age. As DC subsets, mDCs and pDCs always have been studied together.…”

Gender-based effects on methylprednisolone pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

“…36 A gender-based difference in lymphocyte subsets have also been shown. Tollerud et al 38 examined 266 nonsmoking adults and found that women had a significantly higher proportion of CD4 + (helper T lymphocytes) cells and a lower proportion of CD8 + (suppressor T lymphocytes) than men. A similar tendency was observed in our 12 subjects.…”

Quality control in flow cytometry for diagnostic pathology: II. A conspectus of reference ranges for lymphocyte immunophenotyping

“…Several investigators have studied whether the reference ranges used for most adults are applicable for the aged (22)(23)(24)(25)(26). As with the pediatric specimens, the evaluation of geriatric normals has been complicated by the methods of stratification, statistical analyses, and cytometry used in each study.…”