title: A positive correlation between declining immune competence and early mortality associated with diethylnitrosamine carcinogenesis in aging mice.
abstract: The effect of age (2.5, 9.5, and 17 months) at time of treatment upon diethylnitrosamine (DEN) carcinogenesis and immune competence has been assessed in female BALB/c mice. Median times of death were 193, 168, and 125 days, respectively, after termination of DEN treatment. Immune competence as a measure by both cell-mediated and humoral immune parameters immediately after DEN treatment was not significantly different among treated and age-matched non-treated control animals. In contrast, a significant age-related decline in immune competence was seen in both DEN-treated and non-treated controls, thereby demonstrating a direct and positive correlation between the natural age-related decrease in immune competence and cancer-induced advanced mortality.
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004052:Diethylnitrosamine; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004052:Diethylnitrosamine