title: Study of some early immunological parameters in aging humans.
abstract: We studied the correlation between the in vitro lymphocyte proliferative response and some early parameters of lymphocyte activation in aged people. While a consistent number of elderly subjects showed significantly decreased proliferative responses to mitogen stimulation, interleukin-1 (IL-1) production and IL-2 receptor/DR antigen expression were comparable to those of young controls. The reduction in IL-2 production observed in some aged donors did not correlate with the decreased proliferative activity in response to mitogen. Moreover, addition to the cultures of recombinant IL-2 was not capable of restoring the proliferative response to normal levels. These data on the whole seem to argue against a primary involvement in age-associated lymphocyte hyporesponsiveness of an alteration in the early phases of lymphocyte activation engaging the complex lymphokine/receptor network.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amadori
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zanovello
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ciminale
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borghesan
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Fagiolo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crepaldi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2