CD8+ lymphocyte and progenitor cell mobilization during acute psychological stress and betaadrenergic stimulation

This thesis investigated the effect of acute psychological stress and β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) stimulation on the mobilization of CD8+ T lymphocytes (CD8TLs) and progenitor cell (PC) populations. Chapter 2 demonstrated that CD8TL stress- and βAR- sensitivity increases in parallel with greater effector functions and cell differentiation. As Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection influences CD8TL differentiation, Chapter 3 compared the mobilization of cytotoxic lymphocytes in CMV seropositive and seronegative individuals; CMV infection enhanced the stress reactivity of CD8TLs, CD4TLs and NKT-like cells. Chapter 4 examined whether antigen-specificity could modulate CD8TL stress- and βAR-sensitivity. CMV-specific cells demonstrated enhanced mobilization compared to the total-memory CD8TL and the total Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) population. In Chapter 5, we demonstrated that PC subsets, capable of both replenishing leukocyte populations and maintaining endothelial integrity, were also mobilized by acute psychological stress. This result was not replicated by βARagonist infusion suggesting the involvement of αAR or non-adrenergic mechanism. In sum, the current findings suggest that stress mobilization serves to protect the host by increasing immune protection and tissue repair mechanisms. However, such a response may also be detrimental dependent on the circumstance, i.e., infection versus inflammation.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

d_ph

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

d_ph

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Birmingham

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Riddell, Natalie E.

• RC Internal medicine
• QR180 Immunology
• BF Psychology