Human CD8(+) EMRA T cells display a senescence‐associated secretory phenotype regulated by p38 MAPK

Cellular senescence is accompanied by a senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP). We show here that primary human senescent CD8(+) T cells also display a SASP comprising chemokines, cytokines and extracellular matrix remodelling proteases that are unique to this subset and contribute to age‐associated inflammation. We found the CD8(+) CD45RA (+) CD27(−) EMRA subset to be the most heterogeneous, with a population aligning with the naïve T cells and another with a closer association to the effector memory subset. However, despite the differing processes that give rise to these senescent CD8(+) T cells once generated, they both adopt a unique secretory profile with no commonality to any other subset, aligning more closely with senescence than quiescence. Furthermore, we also show that the SASP observed in senescent CD8(+) T cells is governed by p38 MAPK signalling.