Adults 65 years old and older have reduced numbers of functional memory T cells to respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects elderly (>= 65 years) adults, causing medically attended illness and hospitalizations. While RSV neutralizing antibody levels correlate inversely with RSV-associated hospitalization in the elderly, the role of RSV-specific T cells in preventing disease in the elderly remains unclear. We examined RSV-specific humoral, mucosal, and cellular immune profiles in healthy elderly (65 to 85 years) and young (20 to 30 years) adults. RSV neutralization antibody titers in the elderly (10.5 +/- 2.2 log(2)) and young (10.5 +/- 2.1 log(2)) were similar. In contrast, levels of RSV F protein-specific gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-producing T cells were lower in elderly (180 +/- 80 spot-forming cells [SFC]/10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMC]) than in young adults (1,250 +/- 420 SFC/10(6) PBMC). Higher levels of interleukin-13 (IL-13; 3,000 +/- 1,000 pg/ml) in cultured PBMC supernatants and lower frequency of RSV F-specific CD107a(+) CD8(+) T cells (3.0% +/- 1.6% versus 5.0% +/- 1.6%) were measured in PBMC from elderly than young adults. These results suggest that deficient RSV F-specific T cell responses contribute to susceptibility to severe RSV disease in elderly adults.