title: The age-related decline in interleukin-3 expression in mice.
abstract: Spleen lymphocytes form 5- to 37-month-old C57BL/6J mice were stimulated by concanavalin A (con A) in vitro, and the interleukin-3 (IL-3) expression was assessed by measuring the IL-3 activity in culture supernatants and the cytoplasmic IL-3 mRNA levels. The activity and mRNA level of IL-3 was maximum at 20 hr after culturing in the presence of con A. The IL-3 activity in the culture supernatants and the IL-3 mRNA level in lymphocytes declined 70% to 80% between 5 and 37 months of age. Northern blot analysis revealed no change in the size of IL-3 mRNA between young and old mice. When the expression of IL-3 and interleukin-2 (IL-2) by con A-stimulated lymphocytes was compared, both interleukins showed a similar declined with age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Illinois State University, Normal 61761.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D007377:Interleukin-3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003208:Concanavalin A