title: Changes in circulating B cells and immunoglobulin classes and subclasses in a healthy aged population.
abstract: The study of 87 adults of different ages, including 15 centenarians, selected for their healthy status, showed that profound changes of humoral immunity occur throughout life. In particular, a statistically significant age-related increase of the serum level of immunoglobulin classes (IgG and IgA but not IgM) and IgG subclasses (IgG1, 2 and 3, but not IgG4) was detected. A parallel age-related decrease of circulating B cells was also observed. The hypothesis of a complex derangement of B cell function and/or compartmentalization with age is put forward, together with the proposal that healthy centenarians (as representative of successful ageing) may be helpful in identifying the physiological age-related modifications of the immune system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paganelli
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Quinti
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fagiolo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cossarizza
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ortolani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sansoni
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Pucillo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scala
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cozzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000378:metabolism*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes