Association among Terminally Differentiated T Cells, Frailty, and Dependency in a Group of Cuban Centenarians.

INTRODUCTION: Centenarians are considered a model of successful aging. Cuba exhibits one of the oldest populations in Latin America with more than two thousand centenarians. METHODS: This study aimed to evaluate the immune phenotype of forty-three Cuban centenarians, their clinical characteristics such as comorbidities, frailty, body mass index, and some hemochemical parameters. RESULTS: Centenarians had normal body mass indexes, relatively good health status, and 21.95% of them had no comorbidities; 53.6% were classified as frail, and 7% were classified as robust. In addition, 17% of centenarians were independent, and 41.46% were moderately dependent. The seroprevalence against cytomegalovirus was 100%. Concerning pro-inflammatory markers, the majority of them had very low cytokine levels and serum C-reactive protein around the normal limit. We also found the predominance of memory subsets over naive compartments in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Terminally differentiated CD8+CD28- T cells were higher in frail centenarians than in pre-frail, while CD8+CD57+ and CD8+EMRA T cells were higher in moderately and severely dependent individuals than in independent individuals. Severely dependent centenarians had a lower CD4+/CD8+ ratio. CONCLUSION: This study describes for the first time the predominance of memory subsets over naive compartments in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, as well as its relation to frailty and/or dependency in a group of Cuban centenarians. Further studies are needed to continue understanding the natural biological aging mechanism and the relationship between terminally differentiated lymphocytes and inflammaging in the context of extreme longevity.

Blocking EGFR with nimotuzumab: a novel strategy for COVID-19 treatment.

Background: Lung injury and STAT1 deficit induce EGFR overexpression in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients & methods: A phase I/II trial was done to evaluate the safety and preliminary effect of nimotuzumab, an anti-EGFR antibody, in COVID-19 patients. Patients received from one to three infusions together with other drugs included in the national guideline. Results: 41 patients (31 severe and 10 moderate) received nimotuzumab. The median age was 62 years and the main comorbidities were hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The antibody was very safe and the 14-day recovery rate was 82.9%. Inflammatory markers decreased over time. Patients did not show signs of fibrosis. Conclusion: Nimotuzumab is a safe antibody that might reduce inflammation and prevent fibrosis in severe and moderate COVID-19 patients. Clinical Trial Registration: RPCEC00000369 (rpcec.sld.cu).

Background: After SARS-CoV-2 infection, many cells in the lung express a new receptor called EGFR. Overexpression of EGFR can worsen the pulmonary disease and provoke fibrosis. Patients & methods: The initial impact of using a drug that blocks EGFR, nimotuzumab, was evaluated in COVID-19 patients. Results: 41 patients received nimotuzumab by the intravenous route together with other medications. The median age was 62 years, and patients had many chronic conditions including hypertension, diabetes and cardiac problems. Treatment was well tolerated and 82.9% of the patients were discharged by day 14. Serial laboratory tests, x-rays and CT scan evaluations showed the improvement of the patients. Conclusion: Nimotuzumab is a safe drug that can be useful to treat COVID-19 patients.