title: Role of interleukin 2, interleukin 4 and interleukin 5 in the T helper cell-driven B cell polyclonal differentiation in the elderly.
abstract: There is evidence for an impaired T cell-mediated B cell response during senescence. In thirty aged donors, pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-driven immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis by B cells co-cultured with autologous enriched CD4+ lymphocytes and low amounts of monocytes, was evaluated. Under such experimental conditions, elderly cultures displayed a reduced IgG and/or IgM production when compared with the younger counterpart. Moreover, interleukin (IL)-2 and/or IL-5 addition to cultures led to an enhancement of Ig release. In contrast, IL-4 supplementation failed to positively modulate B cell differentiation. At the same time, aged cells cultured in the presence of IL-2 + IL-5 exhibited an increased Ig synthesis, while the addition of IL-2 + IL-4 or IL-4 + IL-5 mixtures did not induce any significant effect in comparison with homologous untreated samples. The results suggest a critical role for IL-2, IL-4 and IL-5 in the modulation of T helper cell-driven B cell polyclonal responsiveness in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Patologia Medica, University of Bari Medical Faculty, Policlinico, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antonaci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polignano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tortorella
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Garofalo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jirillo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonomo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000502:physiology*; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D008297:Male; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015848:Interleukin-5; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D015847:Interleukin-4