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

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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≤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≤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≤0.05). Black race and increasing age were independently associated with an increased proportion of HLA-DR+ cells (P≤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 monouclear-cell subsets. Population-based data such as these provide an important foundation for future design and interpretation of human flow cytometry data.

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Author notes

  1. D. J. Tollerud

    Present address: Channing Laboratory, 180 Longwood Avenue, 02115, Boston, Massachusetts

  2. C. Y. Neuland & L. K. Pankiw-Trost

    Present address: Braton Biotech, Rockville, Maryland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland

    D. J. Tollerud, J. W. Clark, L. Morris Brown, W. A. Blattner & R. N. Hoover

Authors
  1. D. J. Tollerud
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  2. J. W. Clark
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  4. C. Y. Neuland
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  5. L. K. Pankiw-Trost
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  6. W. A. Blattner
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  7. R. N. Hoover
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Tollerud, D.J., Clark, J.W., Brown, L.M. et al. The influence of age, race, and gender on peripheral blood mononuclear-cell subsets in healthy nonsmokers. J Clin Immunol 9, 214–222 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00916817

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00916817

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